Friends and Lovers
by just slummin
Summary: Part of the continuing MalRiver storyline.  Takes place 5 weeks after the events of Crash Course.  Mal and crew stumble into a deadly job that brings an old enemy to their door. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part I—Mobility**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Author's Note: This story takes place five weeks after the events in "Crash Course".

Summary: Mal struggles with his rehabilitation, and Inara embarks on a week-long contract with a client.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal pulled himself into his wheelchair, grimacing still at the effort involved in the maneuver.

"Wouldn't be such an effort if you'd let me help," River said flatly from the other side of their room in the passenger dorms.

"Don't hardly think a woman five and a half months gone with child needs to be pulling up under a man weighs as much as I do," Mal said for what he was certain was the thousandth time.

"Twenty-seventh," River corrected petulantly.

Mal bit back the angry retort that rose to his lips and River, blessedly, did not reply to his unspoken thought. They were both frayed at the edges by the difficulties inherent in his current condition. Mal was undeniably a man of action, and being sidelined as he was by the accident that had broken his legs and left him partially paralyzed, he was restless for his body to mend. And River's fluctuating moods, a result of her pregnancy, made things slightly more complicated than either one of them could handle at the moment.

"Sorry," they both murmured at the same time, causing them to smile at each other sheepishly.

"I conjure that comes from livin' in such close quarters with each other for these few years," Mal said. "Hear tell after awhile we'll look alike too, though I can't imagine that will be a comfort to you."

River smiled, good humor restored at the mental image. She kissed him lightly on the forehead. "I suspect I'll be able to endure it," she said, dancing out of his grasp before he could pull her down into his lap. "Have to get to breakfast. The little one's hungry." She patted the swell of her belly, much more prominent now than it had been just a few weeks ago. Watching her move gracefully through Serenity's corridors with him wheeling along in her wake, he smiled at the thought of his child growing within her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Breakfast was a typically noisy affair. At four months of age, Daniel had found his voice, and babbled incoherently at the top of his finally suitably-developed lungs. Not at all perturbed by the child's constant noise, Kaylee spooned oatmeal into the bowls around the table, bouncing the boy happily on her hip. And truthfully, no one at the table seemed to mind the decibel level, everyone remembering all too well how close they'd been to losing Daniel on any number of occasions.

Only Jayne scowled slightly at the noise, but that could be attributed to his general dislike for mornings and lumpy oatmeal. Anya smiled at him sweetly, handing him the last of the cinnamon she knew he favored in his morning concoction. "Here you go, Mr. Jayne," she whispered, winking. "Just a little something to sweeten the day." Rewarded by his smile, she went back to placidly eating, though Daniel, who was now within arm's length, was busily trying to catch hold of a lock of her golden blonde hair to stuff in his mouth.

Simon reached over to untangle the little boy's hands before he could tug too hard. Distracting him with a teething ring that had once belonged to Adam, he looked over at Mal appraisingly. "You feeling all right today, Captain?" he asked.

The room was suddenly quiet, as Daniel stuffed the ring into his mouth, gnawing at it with gusto. All eyes turned to Mal in various states of concern. Thinking that the constant hovering of his crew was really beginning to annoy him, Mal replied, "I'm just fine, doc. Thanks for askin'."

"I only ask because according to my latest scans, you should be able to come out of those casts fairly soon," Simon said. "Perhaps even today, if you have time to let me check them again."

Mal looked at him hopefully. "You think I'm ready?" he asked, hating the almost desperate sound of his voice.

"That's what I'd like to find out. We can do another scan and some more sensory reaction tests and see where we are."

Mal winced at the thought of the sensory reaction tests, which always made him feel like a glorified pincushion. But he would endure much more than that, he thought, if he could just get out of the prison of the gorram wheelchair permanent-like. "I got nothing else pressin' to do," he said, spooning oatmeal into his mouth with a renewed appetite.

Adam bounced in his seat. "Daddy," he said excitedly, "If they come off today, we can play!" Seeing Mal's worried look, he turned to Simon. "Ain't that right, Uncle Simon?"

"Isn't," River corrected his grammar automatically.

Simon looked at his nephew. "Well, your Daddy will still need some time to recover from his injuries. Remember how wobbly your legs were after you had the surgery and didn't use them for a couple of days?"

Adam nodded, remembering that sensation all too well.

"Well, your father has not used his legs for several weeks," Simon explained gently. "So his legs will be very wobbly for awhile yet." Adam frowned, not pleased with that answer. Simon continued, "But if all goes well, he should be chasing you around Serenity before too long."

Adam smiled, somewhat reassured, though Mal still looked less than sure himself.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inara rarely ate breakfast with the rest of the crew, and today was no exception. Having shooed Jayne out of her shuttle earlier than he would have liked, she busily began preparations for her next contract. Now that Mal seemed to be out of the woods physically, she felt it was a good time to honor her commitment to spend a week with one of her oldest clients.

Mentally reviewing Lemuel Grayson's preferences with regard to dress and makeup, she packed accordingly. While she was not so blind as to believe the thought of her spending an entire week with another man didn't affect Jayne, she still looked forward to the time away. Jayne would understand in the course of time, she supposed, and Lemuel really was one of her favorite clients. Also, she could not discount the thought that he had offered a very generous amount for her time, enough to pay the shuttle's rent for a year with extra to spare. It was hardly an offer she could refuse, being the businesswoman she was.

Serenity, like her Captain, had been in a state of paralysis since the shuttle accident. Mal had found what work he could in his condition, and Zoe, Jayne, and Jim had carried out his plans as well as they were able, but Mal was very careful with what jobs he would take, if he could not be there physically to see them through. So, things were more than a little tight on the ship, and Inara thought it a perfect time to offer to pay a year's rent in advance. And since the latest job lined up brought them to Persephone anyway, it seemed a serendipitous arrangement all around.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal wheeled himself to the infirmary shortly after breakfast, taking time only to go over the Persephone job again with Zoe. River had wanted to join him, but Mal felt unaccountably worried about what Simon would find. He knew River was hanging by a mere thread emotionally many days now, and he did not want her to have to witness his reaction to any bad news firsthand. So, he had sent her to the bridge to check the entry sequence for Persephone, though he knew with absolute certainty she had gotten it right the first time.

Wiping his sweaty palms on his shirt, he entered the infirmary. Simon stood calibrating the scanner, his other tools laid out neatly on the counter. He turned to Mal with a small smile. "I'll be ready in just a minute."

"Take your time, doc," Mal said, trying not to look too closely at the instruments gleaming in the bright infirmary lights, and failing spectacularly. "You, um, planning to use all that on me?"

Simon smiled, lifting one eyebrow. "You don't have any objection, do you?" he said, the barest trace of dry humor in his voice.

"Depends," Mal answered, swallowing nervously. "Any of those things gonna get me up on my feet again?"

"I hope so," Simon said, all traces of play gone from his voice. "I think there's a very good chance, anyway."

"That's good then," Mal replied. "Best we be gettin' to it, soon's you're ready."

Simon nodded. "Let's start with the scan." So saying, he helped Mal up onto the exam table, positioning his legs for the scan. Mal thrummed his fingers on the table restlessly as Simon ran the scan twice to verify his results.

"Well?" he asked after what he thought was a suitable amount of time.

Simon turned the scan results to him for his inspection. "It looks like the femurs have healed," he said, giving Mal a quick smile. "So, we can take the casts off before we do any of the sensory reaction tests, if you'd like."

Mal nodded, relieved at least by the first news of the day. He watched closely as Simon adjusted the setting on the bone saw he'd acquired in the hospital heist on Osiris. Wincing with anticipatory pain, he held himself very still as Simon sawed through the casts, breaking them into four neat halves. Mal looked at his thighs, sickly pale in the bright light, the fine hair worn off in patches from the friction of the casts, the muscles looking somewhat puny to him.

Simon looked at him, observing his disheartened expression. "It's perfectly natural for your leg muscles to be atrophied a bit now," he said reassuringly. "We'll begin physical therapy to strengthen them again, now that we can safely move them in all the normal directions."

"Sounds painful," Mal grumbled, though secretly he was very pleased.

"Oh, it will be," Simon said cheerfully. "I'll make sure of it. Now lie back and close your eyes, so that we can begin the reaction tests."

Mal sighed long-sufferingly, and obliged. "Tell me when you feel something," Simon said, as he started right below Mal's navel and worked his way down to the soles of his feet. To the relief of both men, Mal felt every tiny prick and every touch of Simon's instruments. And though some of the sensations were not as clearly defined as others, Simon was more than pleased with the progress Mal had made. Amazed once again by Mal's recuperative powers, he set his instruments aside and tapped Mal on the hip.

"You can sit up now," he said. "Tests are done."

"And?" Mal asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"And it looks like you're doing quite well," Simon said. "I can only anticipate that you will continue to improve, though you already seem to have sensation everywhere."

"That mean I can give standing a try?" Mal asked.

"Of course," Simon answered. "Though I'd imagine you'll have to use some sort of support for awhile yet, at least until we've done some physical therapy."

Mal nodded and eased his legs off the exam table, wildly pleased that he could maneuver them so much better without the awkward casts. Simon stood beside him, ready to lend physical as well as emotional support if the need arose. Taking a deep breath, Mal slid his backside off the table, resting his weight on his hands until he could get his feet under him properly. Slowly putting more weight on his legs, he let go of the table. He teetered for one precarious moment, trying to re-find his center of balance. After what seemed to him to be an eternity of swaying like a leaf in a strong gust of wind, he stilled, his legs cooperating at least in a small way.

Mal smiled at Simon triumphantly, and Simon found his own lips curving into an answering smile. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Like a newborn colt at the moment," Mal replied, genuine joy in his voice.

Simon offered him an arm to use for support. "Think you'd like to try a step or two?"

Mal nodded, grasping Simon's arm in a vise-like grip. Sliding his right foot forward slightly, he wobbled for a moment, leaning heavily on Simon for support. "Ye su, it's harder than it looks," he muttered, a fine sheen of sweat popping out on his forehead with the exertion.

"Take your time," Simon said calmly. "There's no fire. See if you can move your left foot forward a bit."

Mal concentrated on the task at hand, sliding his left foot a few inches and lurching drunkenly forward. Finding his balance more quickly this time, he paused for just a moment, and then slid his right foot forward again.

Simon beamed with pride at Mal's accomplishment. "That's excellent work, Captain," he said encouragingly.

"Think I can make it to the other side of the infirmary?" Mal asked hopefully.

"Seems like a reasonable goal," Simon said. "Just…you know…take your time."

Mal nodded, intent on the other side of the infirmary. Slowly, inch by difficult inch, he made the journey, ending up at the smaller of the infirmary beds with a genuine sense of achievement. Muscles trembling from the effort, he leaned against the table, trying to catch his breath. "Now what?" he panted.

Simon's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I think that's about all you need to do today, Mal," he warned. "We need to strengthen your legs gradually. Pushing too hard at this point might be very damaging to you. You don't want to undo all the progress you've made."

Mal scowled. "So, what? You want me to get back in the wheelchair now? When I've had a taste of walkin' again?"

"Yes, I do," Simon said firmly. Seeing the gathering storm in Mal's eyes, he added, "Just for a little bit longer, until you can walk farther than the length of the infirmary without needing a towel."

Mal wiped the sweat from his brow, unable to argue with such a reasonable request. "But I can still be practicin' all through the day as I like?" he pressed.

Simon nodded. "Yes, Inara has some very stylish canes she's offered for your use. A walker would be better, but we don't have one of those."

"The canes'll be fine," Mal said dismissively. "So long as I don't have to think on where they came from too much."

Simon rolled his eyes. "One would think you'd have outgrown your distaste for Inara's profession by this point," he said with a hint of exasperation.

"Then one would be wrong," Mal answered. "But bein' as how it ain't my business, I 'spect I can live with it long's she wants to do it."

"I'm sure she'll be heartened to hear it," Simon said dryly as he wheeled the chair over to Mal. "You know how much she values your opinion on the matter."

Mal snorted, settling down heavily in the chair. "Yeah, I've noticed," he said. At Simon's chuckle, he added, "So, we done here, doc?"

"Yes, we're done for now," Simon said. "When I get a regimen worked out for the therapy, I'll come find you."

"Conjure I'll be with your sister," Mal said. "'Magine she'll be a mite interested in me gettin' my dancin' legs back." So saying, he grinned at Simon and wheeled out of the infirmary, much lighter than he'd felt in a long while.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part II—Connections**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Mal shows River his progress, Inara departs for her appointment, and Simon puts together a plan for physical therapy.

XXXXXXXXXX

River watched as Mal slowly rose from the chair, tears of joy bathing her cheeks. "Time for cryin's over and done," Mal said, gently wiping them away with the pad of his thumb. "Simon says it shouldn't be too long before I'm up and about again."

River wrapped herself around him carefully, so as not to overbalance him. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, thinking how wonderful it was to have that particular pleasure again. "How far out of Persephone are we?" he asked, when he thought he could speak past the embarrassing lump in his throat.

"Less than an hour," River answered. "Inara will be leaving with the shuttle in the next few minutes, in fact. Think she's just saying good-bye to Jayne."

Mal nodded. "Guess there's no need to interrupt that to go over the job again, then."

River pulled out of his arms, and looked at him carefully. "It still bothers you that Jayne and Inara are together," she said flatly.

Mal looked at her in surprise. "No, I can't say it does," he said. "Why would you think that?" When she frowned, he said, "Read me, bao bei, and you'll know for sure."

River's frown deepened. "Can't," she answered miserably.

"Why not?" Mal asked, strangely alarmed.

"Suppose it's the baby," she said, sighing.

"Well, you knew what I was thinkin' this mornin'," he said.

River nodded. "I can still read strong emotion from you, but everything else is…fuzzy…shadowed."

"Have you talked to Simon about it?"

River shook her head. "Just have to wait for everything to be clear again. Like it was after Adam was born."

Mal sank back into the wheelchair, his legs trembling from the effort of standing so long. "Well, darlin', I guess you'll just have to muddle along like the rest of us for awhile then. Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," he said as gently as he could manage.

River curled into his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's lonely without you inside my head."

"I'm right here, bao bei," he whispered against her ear. "Ain't goin' anywhere."

XXXXXXXXXX

Inara pulled away from Jayne reluctantly, smoothing her dress as best she could after his crushing embrace. "Sorry," he muttered, looking at the wrinkles in the fine fabric. "Didn't mean to make a mess of your pretty duds."

Inara smiled merrily. "Didn't you?" she asked, one elegant eyebrow raised. "It seems to me that you'd prefer to leave a mark of some kind, just to remind me of what I'm going to be missing for the next week."

"That ain't it at all," he protested, though there was more than a little truth in her assertion. "Just got carried away for a minute."

Inara touched the big man's face, stroking her thumb lightly across his cheek. "I'll be back in a week, love. A week's not so long a time. And besides, you'll be busy with that job."

"Not so busy I won't be thinkin' 'bout that Grayson fella'," Jayne grumbled, determined not to be charmed by Inara's considerable persuasive skills.

Inara sighed. "We've talked about this, Jayne. You said you were okay with it."

"And I am," Jayne said defensively. "Just gonna miss you, is all."

Inara stood on tiptoe to kiss him gently. "I'll miss you too," she said tenderly.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim stepped into Serenity's armory, intending to get a few extra rounds for his weapon. He stopped when he saw Zoe, calmly loading her weapons in preparation for the job on Persephone. Something in the way she handled them made his mouth unaccountably dry, and he cleared his throat noisily.

Zoe turned, giving him a quizzical look. "You want something?" she said.

All manner of inappropriate answers floating through his head, he said, "No, I was just coming to get a few more rounds for the job. The Captain seems a bit anxious about it, and I figured a little more ordinance wouldn't hurt."

Zoe nodded, turning back to her task. "Captain doesn't like to send folks out on any job he can't go on himself," she said calmly. "Been like that ever since I've known him."

Finally seeing an opening he'd been waiting for over the past few months, he asked, "And how long is that, exactly?"

Zoe turned her dark brown eyes to look at him curiously, but answered his question nonetheless. "Met him at the beginning of the war. We were in the same platoon."

"57th Overlanders, wasn't it?" Jim asked cautiously.

"Yes," Zoe said flatly, volunteering nothing more.

Jim swallowed nervously. "Serenity Valley took out a lot of good soldiers," he said quietly.

"Yes." Zoe looked at him steadily. "Anything else you want to know?" Jim heard a distinct note of warning in her tone.

"No," he answered. "Not right now, anyway. But I'll let you know when I do." He smiled his most charming smile, and turned to gather his supplies. After a long silence, he walked out of the armory. He did not look back, and so missed Zoe's speculative gaze.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Inara's shuttle disengaged from Serenity, headed toward Lemuel Grayson's estate on the outskirts of Persephone's capital city, Jayne headed toward his bunk to gather his weapons for the job. Simon met him on the stairs.

"Um, Jayne, I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you," Simon said, backing up as Jayne barreled past.

"Ain't much in the favor-grantin' mood right now," Jayne growled.

Simon paused for a moment, thinking about Inara's recent departure. "Yes, well, I'd imagine not," he said, following the mercenary down the corridor. "But I still need to talk with you."

Jayne stopped walking and turned to Simon with an annoyed expression. "What?" he asked irritably.

"Mal's casts came off this morning," Simon said hastily. "And he's going to need some physical therapy to strengthen his legs again. I was hoping I might be able to borrow some of your lighter weights to begin with to help him along."

"He gonna get full use back, you reckon?" Jayne asked.

Simon nodded. "I believe so, if I can get him to do the therapy like it's supposed to be done."

Jayne nodded. "Take whatever weights you need. Quicker Mal gets on his feet, the more coin we can make." And the less likely Inara will be to take a week-long job elsewhere, he added silently.

"Thank you, Jayne," Simon said, smiling. "That's very…charitable of you."

Jayne grunted in answer, opening his hatch to retrieve his weapons, and leaving Simon standing alone in the hallway.

XXXXXXXXXX

Having sent Zoe, Jayne, and Jim out to the meeting with Badger, Mal sat in the common area with the children. Finding it passing strange that he should be relegated to babysitting while the crew went out on a job, he bounced Daniel on his knee and tried not to think about how worried he would be until the crew returned. There was really no good reason to worry so, he thought distractedly, except that Badger's track record was only about fifty/fifty when it came to pear-shaped jobs. Cursing the ever-present lack of funds that forced him to deal with the little man, he looked over at Anya.

"Think you could find that teethin' ring for the little one?" he asked. "Ain't quite sure I can stand the racket for too much longer."

Anya grinned, searching through the sofa cushions until she found it. Rinsing it in the sink, she came to Mal's side and handed it to the baby. Daniel crammed it into his mouth, sucking and gnawing happily. "Thanks, blondie," Mal said.

"Sure thing," Anya said, running her fingers lightly through the downy softness of the baby's hair. "Woulda' never thought he could put up such a fuss when I first saw him."

Mal smiled. "Just goes to show that sometimes looks are deceivin'," he said.

Anya pulled up a chair and sat down beside him, glancing over to check on Adam, who was busily coloring something that only he, and possibly River, could decipher. Turning her startlingly blue eyes to gaze at him, she asked, "Do you like Uncle Jim, Captain Mal?"

"Course," Mal answered, after a moment of hesitation. "Why do you ask?"

Anya shrugged, swinging her legs in the chair. "Just sometimes, you look at him funny," she replied. "Like you're thinkin' hard about somethin', and you don't know whether it's good or bad."

"Well, he ain't been on my crew long enough just yet for me to be real sure," Mal answered honestly.

"And he fought for the Alliance," Anya observed.

Mal nodded. "He did, at that. But I reckon a man's got a right to make mistakes now and then." He smiled wryly.

Anya studied her hands as if she found them infinitely fascinating for several minutes. "He looks like my daddy," she said finally. Mal waited, sensing she was not finished. "But he don't act like him."

"What do you mean?" Mal asked, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly standing up with alarm.

Anya glanced at him, noting the strain in his voice. "Nothin' bad, Captain Mal," she said. "Just he seems a lot different. Daddy was more….like you. Uncle Jim, well, he's…he's not as worried about things as you are, not always thinkin' of seein' to everything like you do."

Mal chuckled. "Miss River might say that no one's as worried about things as I am."

"Guess that's cause you're more like a daddy than an uncle," Anya said sagely.

"Could be. One day when your uncle becomes a daddy, that might change things a mite."

Anya had the good grace not to point out that Mal had been like a father to her long before Adam had been born. "Prob'ly so," she said instead.

Mal's brow wrinkled in concern. "You're glad he's here, ain't you?"

"Oh yes, Captain Mal, I'm glad he's here," she said earnestly. After a beat, she added, "And I think Mama's glad too."

Mal looked at her quickly to see her expression. "That a fact?" he asked lightly.

"Yup," Anya said, losing interest in the conversation. "Think so, anyway." She wrinkled her nose. "You want me to take Daniel? I think he needs to be changed."

Mal sniffed the air, surprised he hadn't noticed the odor himself. Smiling at her gratefully, he handed Daniel to her. "Thanks, blondie."

She rolled her eyes, very much like Zoe. "Dr. Simon says you'll be walkin' again real soon. Best you be enjoyin' me taking care of him 'til then. After that, it'll be your turn."

"You threatenin' me, little girl?" Mal asked.

Anya leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Not a threat. Just an observation."

Mal watched her as she efficiently handled the diaper change, a bemused expression on his face. She was growing up way too fast, he thought, feeling a little older than he liked.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part III—Therapy**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Zoe and Badger have a meeting, Inara joins Grayson, and Mal begins physical therapy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Badger scowled at Zoe with more than a little irritation. As always when he was angry, his accent thickened into an almost incomprehensible brogue. "Whaddya' mean the good Sargeant Reynolds idn't comin'?" he asked. "Thinks 'e's too right and proper to be dealin' wif me direct, is it?"

Zoe blinked slowly, fingering the Mare's leg at her side. "We're here to do the job, Badger. Don't see how it's any of your concern where the Captain is, long as you get what you want."

"Well, it isn't my style to deal with the underlings, love," Badger said. "'Specially with a delicate li'l job like this."

"Fine," Zoe said flatly. "Then we'll just be on our merry, and you can find some other ship to deliver your cargo." She turned to go, Jayne and Jim flanking her on either side.

"Don't get your knickers in a bunch, li'l girl," Badger said, totally unaware of how very dangerous Zoe could be. "I'll deal wif you, but tell the good Captain I'll be expectin' 'im to show 'is sorry mug when you come back."

Zoe smiled thinly. "I'll tell him," she said. "I'm sure he'll give it all the consideration it deserves."

Badger gritted his teeth, not liking the warrior woman even a little. He preferred his women on the docile side, whimpering and trembling under his demands. Would be an interesting thing to see someday what would make this woman cower under him, he thought with a sadistic little smile. Wouldn't be good for business, but it would be very good indeed for pleasure.

Putting those thoughts on hold for a more convenient time, he went over the plan with Reynolds' crew. They nodded, having heard the same information several times from their Captain. Motioning to one of his men to take them to the warehouse where the goods were stored, he sat back in his desk chair, idly fingering the papers there. Assuming they managed to deliver the goods to his cousin on Ezra and get back with the cargo his cousin was sending in exchange without getting shot to bits or arrested for carrying contraband, he should be able to make a sizable profit on this deal. Enough of a profit, in fact, to overlook Reynolds' slight by not coming himself, just this once.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim walked along beside Zoe through the crowded Eavesdown docks, feeling greasy just by association with the little weasel called Badger. He'd seen the way Badger had eyed Zoe up and down, and he had a strong desire to end the little man where he stood. Zoe, of course, was unaffected by such a perusal, knowing with absolute certainty Badger's twisted little fantasies would never be seeing the light of day. But Jim, although he knew she could take care of herself, had an itch to shelter her from such things. Shaking his head slightly at his own foolishness, he said, "So, whaddya think's in the crates?"

"It'd be my preference not to know," Zoe replied, watching Jayne hoist up the first one onto the mule.

"I imagine you're right," Jim said, picking up his own crate and stacking it in next to Jayne's. The three worked silently for the next half hour, until the mule and trailer were fully loaded.

"Looks like one more trip will do it," Jayne said, sweat dropping into his eyes. "Gorram things are heavy as lead."

Zoe nodded, and they climbed up into the mule. Weaving through the narrow throughways, they reached Serenity without incident. Mal was sitting in the cargo bay waiting for them. "What took you so long?" he asked anxiously.

Zoe sighed. "Badger felt the need for a palaver first, sir," she said. "Seems his dignity was offended when you didn't come to see him in person."

"Yeah," Jayne said, grinning. "Almost like he was sorta sweet on you. Course, he had no idea he was lookin' at your husband there." He turned to leer at Jim.

Mal rolled his eyes. "We ever gonna stop talkin' about that on this boat?" he asked crankily.

"Well, sir, you have to admit it was real touchin'," Zoe deadpanned.

Standing behind her, Jim grinned. "Ah, but it was just a fleeting moment of beauty…"

"Bi zhuai," Mal said. "Enough. There's work needs doin'." He wheeled out of the cargo bay in a huff, the sound of laughter following him into the lift Jayne had installed for him. Gorram crew wouldn't have time to idle around discussing such as that, once he got his legs under him again, he thought, not really seeing the humor in it at all.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inara's shuttle set down on Lemuel Grayson's landing pad, and she stepped out into Persephone's bright sun. Shading her eyes, she sought out Grayson. He stood under the shelter of a gazebo, his bearing just as proud and erect as the last time she'd seen him. She marveled that a man of his age could still be so attractive, so regal in his demeanor. She walked toward him, gathering her skirts about her to avoid soiling them in the grass. As he walked to meet her, she smiled up at him with genuine pleasure. "Lemuel, it's so lovely to see you. It's been too long."

Grayson smiled, extending his arm. "And you're still as beautiful as ever, Inara," he said, his deep voice just as melodious as she remembered it.

"You're kind to say so," she replied lightly as they walked up the gazebo steps. They stood for a long moment, admiring the view. Persephone's capital city lay to the west, much more beautiful at this distance than it was closer in. To the east lay the sea, a cerulean blue in the midday sun. "It's so beautiful here," Inara said, almost wistfully. "So peaceful and calm."

Grayson observed her lovely profile, noting the small lines that had appeared around her eyes since the last time they'd been together. He found them infinitely more satisfying than he would have imagined, speaking to him as they did of a life lived more fully than he would have thought her capable of when he'd first contracted with her fresh out of the Training House. She had been so young then, but even at that tender age, so controlled and sleek, like a pampered cat on a sun-warmed window seat. The thought of seeing that control slip for just a moment had been enough to bring him back to her again and again over the years. And now, those fine lines made him even more eager for the companionship she offered.

Clearing his throat, he gestured to the table by his side, where a small feast had been arranged. "I wasn't sure whether you would have eaten lunch," he said. "I haven't had mine yet. Too filled with anticipation of your arrival to eat, I suppose." He smiled warmly. "Won't you join me?"

Inara sat gracefully in the chair he pulled out for her, the thought crossing her mind that for the cost of the food laid so casually on this table, Serenity's crew could eat for a month in the Black. Long ago, such thoughts would never have even occurred to her, but now they seemed glaringly obvious. She fought down that treacherous train of thought, and focused instead on simply enjoying the pleasure of Lemuel's company and the luxury in which he lived.

When they had eaten their fill and the servants had removed all vestiges of their repast, Grayson and Inara sat companionably at the table, turning their chairs to face the sea. Grayson told her about the things that had occurred in his life since last they'd spent time together, and Inara listened with interest, genuinely fond of him and eager to hear about something other than the hardscrabble life of Serenity's crew. She felt herself relaxing in the warm sea breeze, the recent troubles of her own life seeming distant in this bewitching place.

Grayson turned to catch her smiling, looking out at the sea. "And what has happened in your life since last we were together?" he asked.

Inara sighed quietly, determined not to reveal the horrors she'd endured to this kind and gentle man. She graced him with a calm smile. "Not anything nearly as interesting as your stories," she said lightly, knowing he would not press her for more.

Grayson observed her carefully, noting the slight tightening around her mouth at the question. There was a story there that he wished to hear, he thought for a moment. And by the end of the week, he was fairly certain he could discover what it was. He easily steered the conversation in another direction, and Inara relaxed back into her chair with a great sense of relief.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal's legs trembled beneath him as he stood in the cargo bay with the help of Inara's canes. He looked down at Jayne's weight bench with a measure of trepidation. Mal had never been a man to exercise for the fun of it, preferring instead to let the hard work he was accustomed to doing keep his body lean and fit. So, though he had observed Jayne on any number of occasions at work on the bench, and even spotted him a time or two, Mal had never used the equipment himself.

Simon stood beside him, ready to steady him should he require it. "Um…I think it would be best to sit down while I get the weights ready," he suggested.

Mal nodded, easing down gingerly onto the edge of the bench. Lying his canes to the side, he watched as Simon bent to his task. "The idea," Simon began, "is to gradually build the muscles of your legs back up so that they can more easily support your weight. I don't anticipate that it will take all that long to achieve measurable results. We'll start with the smallest weights, and work our way up." As he spoke, he attached a small weight to each of Mal's ankles with strips of cotton. Leaning back on his heels to survey his work, he said, "All right then. Let's give them a try. Raise your right leg as far as you comfortably can."

"How far are we aimin' at?" Mal asked.

"Well eventually, the goal will be for you to be able to straighten it completely, and bend it back into a ninety-degree angle with no problem," Simon answered.

Mal nodded, thinking that such a goal sounded easily attainable. He raised his leg carefully. "Gorram it, Simon," he said, when he'd managed to lift it about three inches from the deck plating. "How much weight did you put on it?" Sweat popped out on his brow.

"It's five pounds," Simon said, hating to have to tell him. Seeing Mal's look of utter dismay, he added hastily, "It's perfectly all right. Perhaps we should start on simple range of motion exercises instead. The weights can wait until later."

Mal dropped his foot to the floor, and Simon removed the weights quickly. Rummaging through Jayne's equipment, he found a mat, and laid it out on the deck. "Okay," he said with a doctor's professional detachment. "Lie on the mat, and we'll go through the basic routine until you're comfortable with it. You'll have to do this with someone everyday. Perhaps you'd like me to call River to sit in this time, and learn what needs to be done."

Mal maneuvered himself onto the mat. "If it's all the same to you, doc, I'd like to do it without River first,… you know, to see what's involved. She's…well, she doesn't need to have to worry about me right now."

Simon looked up at him in concern. "Is there something going on with River I need to know about?"

Mal paused for a moment, wondering if he should mention River's situation. "Well, seems she's havin' a little trouble with the readin' thing," he said reluctantly.

"What do you mean?" Simon's eyes narrowed in worried concentration.

"She says things are not clear. 'Fuzzy' was the term she used," Mal said.

"For how long?" Simon asked.

"She just mentioned it to me this morning," Mal said. "But I think it's been botherin' her for a few days, at least."

Simon frowned. "It's probably just the baby," he said. "When she was carrying Adam, you remember how distracted she became."

"I most certainly do," Mal said. "And that's what she thinks it is too. But she didn't get so distracted so soon with Adam, best as I recall. I wouldn't object to you checkin' everything out just to be sure."

"Of course," Simon said, having fully intended to do just that anyway. "But you do realize that she's been through quite a bit of stress recently, what with the accident and major surgery for you and Adam, and reuniting with our parents, and…"

Mal held up his hand. "Yeah, I realize," he said dryly. "That's why I want to do this without bothering her, if I can."

"So, this would have nothing to do with you not wanting her to see you struggle with this?" Simon asked blandly, as he bent Mal's knee in a ninety degree angle.

Mal let out a low hiss as Simon continued to manipulate his lower limbs. "Mind your doctorin' and get out of my head, Simon," he warned peevishly.

Simon smiled. "Yes sir, Captain sir," he answered blandly. After several more minutes of work, he extended his hand to help Mal up from the mat. "But I think it would be good for both of you if River could contribute to your recovery. And this is something she could do with minimal effort. All the real effort would be coming from you."

"I'll think on it, doc," Mal replied, steadying himself with the canes. "Maybehaps after a day or two…." His words trailed off.

Simon nodded, figuring that was more than he could have hoped to achieve with the stubborn man on the first day of therapy anyway.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part IV—Unfortunate Circumstances**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: R, for violence

Summary: Mal and the crew unwittingly stumble into a deadly job that brings an old enemy to their door.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You sure 'bout this, boss?" Reilly asked the little man beside him. "Don't seem like the easiest way to make a bit a' profit to me. Heard tell he ain't one to tangle with, if you got a need to live longer than a few minutes."

"Didn't come all the way from Dyton Colony to here without learnin' a thing or three about this sort of thing," O'Toole said dryly. "Besides, we need what my dear old cousin on Persephone is sendin', and bein' as how we ain't able to pay for it with our own merchandise, can you think of anywhere else we can get what we need to trade?"

Reilly shook his head with regret. "Just don't like the thought of muckin' about with his stuff," he said. "Man's got a bad temper, they say, and a long arm, besides."

"With a bit of luck, he'll not know anything's missin' 'til we're long gone with it, and whatever idiot Badger hired to transport it has it. No need for 'im to even know we were involved. Plan's slick as snot. Don't worry."

Reilly nodded, though privately he could think of any number of holes in O'Toole's plan that would get them both dead quick-like. He looked through the binoculars briefly. "Looks like they're loadin' up the rocket now. Best be movin' 'fore they're done. Them fast-burn rockets get where they're goin' pretty quick."

O'Toole rolled his eyes. "Could be why they're called fast-burn rockets," he said, moving forward to put his plan in motion.

XXXXXXXXXX

River's hands moved surely over the console, setting Serenity down at the coordinates provided by Badger. Moving swiftly through the ship, she saw Mal hobbling to meet with Zoe in the cargo bay with last minute reminders. Zoe nodded briefly, and set out into the bright sun of Ezra, Jayne and Jim on either side. Mal's eyes followed them worriedly until they passed out of sight.

River came to stand beside him, wrapping an arm around his midsection. "She knows what she's doing," she said softly.

Mal nodded. "Ain't that I'm worried about," he acknowledged. "I reckon you saw that Niska's skyplex had been rebuilt when we hit atmo."

River nodded, flinching inwardly at the suddenly vivid flash of Mal's torture at the madman's hands. "I did."

"Don't know as I'd'a taken the job if I had known the skyplex was orbiting Ezra again," Mal said softly. "I got no notion to be anywhere that hundan is, ever again."

River tightened her hold around Mal's waist. "There is no reason to assume that he will even be aware that we've been on Ezra. The job we're here for is between Badger and his cousin, isn't it?"

Mal was quiet for a long moment. "Hope to hell Badger ain't sold us out to Niska."

"I believe I would know if he had," River said soothingly.

"Even with the baby and all?" Mal asked.

"I think so."

"Best we keep watch just in case," Mal said. "And keep Serenity warm and ready to fly."

River nodded and headed back to the bridge, leaving Mal to stare out into the dust of the day, anxious to see his crew return.

XXXXXXXXXX

"No problems, sir," Zoe said, as Jayne and Jim unloaded the cargo that would be going back to Persephone. "Badger's cousin was ready for us when we arrived. Transfer went down smooth as silk. And he ain't got a need to talk near as much as Badger."

"Who does?" Mal answered, relieved that Serenity was about to be in the air once more. "And there was no sign of any other kind of trouble?" he persisted.

"None," Zoe answered calmly.

"That's good then," Mal said, hitting the button to close the ramp as Jayne moved the last crate into the cargo bay. "River, they're on. Take us out of the world," he said through the comm. system.

Before the sentence was finished, he felt the floor beneath him vibrate as the ship rose gracefully in the air, leaving the dust of Ezra behind as Serenity headed into the Black.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe tossed restlessly in her bed, unable to sleep despite the physical work she'd done on Ezra. Unaccountably uneasy, she sighed and got out of bed entirely. Slipping on a robe, she headed toward the galley, assuming no one else would be awake at this time of Serenity's night.

Stepping lightly into the room, she was startled to see Jim sitting at the table, a look of something akin to frustration on his face. Hearing her footfall, he looked up and immediately replaced his earlier expression with a warm smile. "Evening, Zoe," he said. "What brings you back to the kitchen at such an hour?"

Zoe moved further into the room and set about preparing a cup of tea. "Couldn't sleep," she answered simply. "Thought some of Inara's tea might do the trick. Want some?"

Jim shook his head. "I'm not much for the tea-drinking," he said. "Prefer my drinks with a little more kick." He held up a mug of whiskey-laced coffee to illustrate his point.

Zoe nodded and continued with her task. A silence fell between them, and Jim thought with a twinge of longing that she made quite pleasant company indeed. Setting her tea cup on the table across from him, Zoe slid into the seat and eyed him quizzically. "So, what are you doin' up at this hour? Woulda' thought all the loadin' and unloadin' cargo today would have worn you out."

Jim smiled slowly. "I'm not all that easy to wear out," he said, with a hint of challenge in his voice.

"That a fact?" Zoe said blandly.

"It is."

Zoe sipped her tea slowly, letting the silence stretch between them. Finally, unable to stay quiet for another moment, Jim took a deep breath and said, "You're gonna make me really work for this, aren't you?"

Zoe smiled around the rim of her cup. Raising one eyebrow, she said, "You don't think it's worth working for?"

"I most definitely do," Jim replied with heartfelt conviction. "It's just that I generally like to have hope that my goals are at least somewhat attainable before I invest too much time and energy into them."

"Thought you just said you were hard to wear out, and here you are complainin' about expending a little energy," Zoe said with a hint of amusement.

Jim sighed heavily. "Did you give your husband this much trouble in the beginning?"

"More," Zoe said calmly.

Suddenly determined to rattle her cage at least a little, Jim asked softly, "How about Mal? Did you give him this much trouble?"

Zoe's eyes narrowed, and she took a long drink before she answered. "What makes you think the Captain and I ever…?"

Jim interrupted her. "Am I wrong?"

Unexpectedly, Zoe began to laugh, her eyes shining with sudden mirth.

Jim shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I don't see what's so funny. I'm asking a perfectly valid question," he said a little defensively.

Zoe's laugh trailed off into a slight chuckle. "It's just that in all the time I was married to Wash, he never once asked me that question. At least not directly anyway. And here you are, a man I ain't even known a year yet, a man who has no claim to me, and you're asking me this."

Jim stared at her intently. "If he had asked, what would you have said?"

Zoe returned his gaze steadily. "I would have told him the truth. Wouldn't have been a pretty truth, nor a truth he'd have liked even a little, but I would have told him."

"Perhaps that's why he never asked directly," Jim said softly. "Don't know that it would be a comforting fact to know that you and Mal had been…intimate."

Zoe cocked her head to the side, considering that thought. "Why would it have mattered?" she asked after a moment. "Ain't like I married Mal. Chose Wash. No question. Don't see the outstanding issue."

Jim smiled slightly. "Maybe men are not as evolved in such matters as women," he offered.

Zoe nodded. "Maybe not," she said. After a long pause, she said, "Would it matter to you, I mean, hypothetically speaking?" 

Jim smiled, for the first time seeing a decent reason to hope. "I'm evolving as we speak, Zoe," he said with a wicked glint in his eye.

"Good to know," Zoe said coolly, her eyes bright in the soft light.

The silence that settled around them was soft this time, and altogether more comfortable for both of them.

XXXXXXXXXX

Reilly hung from a chain in Niska's torture chamber, begging for his life. O'Toole's corpse hung beside him, still swinging slightly from the last fatal blow. Niska removed his glasses and meticulously cleaned them, squinting at Reilly in the bright patch of light.

"Mister Reilly," he began again, his voice pleasant and controlled, "You must understand that working for Mr. O'Toole is no excuse for stealing from me. A man, any man, has his own reputation to protect. You, Mr. Reilly, have not protected your reputation with me, and we are not…how do you say?...solid. Now tell me again…" Niska leaned close to Reilly, slipping his glasses back on smoothly. "Where is my merchandise?"

Reilly shuddered at the man's nearness, his body screaming for relief from the pain that had already been inflicted by the madman. "If….if I tell you, will you…release me?" he pleaded.

Niska smiled benignly. "When you tell me, I assure you that you will be released from your current unfortunate circumstance. I have no interest in holding you here. But, you must understand, I am not a forgiving man. Perhaps you have heard this about me, yes?"

"Yes," Reilly said, drawing a shuddering breath. "I didn't want to do it, Mr. Niska. I swear. I told O'Toole…"

Niska held up his hand. "Tsk, tsk, Mr. Reilly. You waste my time." He laid the blade of his knife flat against the trembling flesh of Reilly's abdomen.

Reilly flinched as much as the chains would allow. "It was loaded onto a Firefly, headed back to Persephone to O'Toole's cousin."

Niska looked intently into the terrified man's eyes. "And you know the name of this cousin?"

Reilly nodded, eager to curry favor. "Little man by the name of Badger."

"Ah," Niska said, patting Reilly approvingly. "I know of the man. By reputation, of course." He paused for a moment, as if contemplating what Reilly had said. "And the Firefly….do you happen to know the name of it?"

Reilly thought frantically for a minute, unable to come up with the answer in his panic. "Something….like…..Oh God, I don't know, Mr. Niska. I swear I'd tell you if I did. Please…."

Niska smiled again. "Mr. Reilly, don't trouble yourself. I believe that you would tell me if you knew. Think carefully. Could it have been 'Serenity', by chance?"

Reilly's relief was palpable. "Yes, yes, that's it. I just couldn't remember for a minute there. Yes, it was Serentiy. I'm…I'm sure of it." When Niska nodded approvingly, he said, "That's…that's really all I know, Mr. Niska. I swear it. So…"

Niska looked at him curiously. "What is it that you require, Mr. Reilly?" he asked calmly.

"You said you'd release me…if I told you…." Reilly's voice was weakening.

"I did indeed," Niska said gently. "And I am a man of my word." He touched Reilly's cheek tenderly as a father might touch a son, while driving the wicked blade deep into Reilly's quivering flesh. Drawing the blade sharply upward, he eviscerated his victim in one smooth, brutal stroke. "You are free to go," he said softly, as Reilly's body convulsed and he gasped one last, ragged breath.

Turning to his newest henchman, Niska said calmly, "Go to Persephone. Retrieve what's mine, and bring me Mr. Reynolds, and the dark woman who travels with him, ….and the little man called Badger."

Nodding, the large man named Brutus moved to comply.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part V—The Proposal**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Inara gets a stunning offer, and Serenity lands back on Persephone.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inara took a delicate nibble of the melon on the breakfast tray in her lap, marveling that Lemuel had remembered so well her favorite foods. He perched on the bed beside her, his dark blue dressing gown accenting the silvery gray of his hair to definite advantage. "I'm so sorry I have to leave you for awhile this morning," he said regretfully. "I tried everything short of selling the shares in the business to get them to change the meeting date to next week, but apparently none of the other shareholders have such beautiful women in their beds this morning as I do."

Inara smiled happily. "It's perfectly all right, Lemuel. I'll try to use the time wisely until your return."

Grayson returned her smile. "If there's anything you require, just let the servants know. They're here for your convenience." He sat watching her for a moment, obviously thinking about something of importance.

"What is it, Lemuel?" she asked softly, a note of genuine concern in her voice.

Grayson shook his head as if to clear it and sighed lightly. "Inara, I had hoped to have this conversation later in our week together, but it is much on my mind, and I fear I'll be of no use in the board meeting unless I've said what's on my mind and in my heart to you."

Inara set aside the breakfast tray and leaned forward, grasping his hand in hers. "Tell me, Lemuel."

Looking into the eyes of the woman who had filled his dreaming mind for years, and his waking mind for awhile now as well, he cleared his throat and began. "Inara, it cannot have escaped your notice that I care for you a great deal. What you may not know is that I have, in the course of the years we have known each other, very rarely been with another woman. I find myself unable to think of anyone else with whom I'd rather spend the years of my life that are left to me." He looked intently at Inara, watching for any reaction. "I'm not a young man, Inara. And I'm certainly old enough to know what it is that I want out of life at this point." He grasped her hands more tightly. "And it's you that I want."

Inara stared at him for a moment, her heart beating strangely in her chest. "Lemuel, I…I don't know what to say."

"You needn't say anything just yet," he said tenderly. "Just hear me out. I'm willing to do whatever you wish to have you by my side, Inara. If you wish to remain in the Guild, I can contract with you to be my personal Companion until such time as I die. Or, if you would prefer, I can pay any outstanding debt you owe to the Guild, and when you are free to do so, you could marry me. I would be a good husband to you, and you would, as my wife, inherit all that I own upon my death. With either choice, you would lack for nothing, Inara. I swear it." Seeing that his proposal had taken her quite by surprise, he kissed her lips gently. "Just think about it, bao bei. That's all I ask. We'll speak of it more later."

Inara nodded numbly, and he let go of her hands to take his leave. Long after he'd left the room, she sat looking at the door, reeling with the thoughts and emotions racing wildly through her mind.

XXXXXXXXXX

River lay in Mal's arms, the swell of their baby pressing against his hip. Their night had been long and passionate, full of celebration of Mal's newfound mobility, and the promise of many more such nights to come. Her fingertips traced light patterns across his chest, and she felt his muscles twitch under her touch. He stroked her back lazily, loving the feel of her silky skin against the length of his body.

"What are you thinking, ai ren?" she asked, missing the intimacy of reading him in such moments.

She felt the vibration of Mal's voice in his chest against her cheek. "Thinking about how you gave me back my heart," he said softly. "And Adam gave me back my legs." He reached down to cradle the swell of her abdomen. "And wondering what it is this little one will give to me."

River smiled, looking up at her husband with wide brown eyes. "Simon said we can see her if we want," she said. "He wants to do a sonogram today, if it's okay."

"Her?" Mal breathed, his mind swirling with the news. "It's a girl?"

River frowned slightly. "That pleases you, right?" she asked, unable to read him clearly.

"Oh, darlin', that more than pleases me," Mal said, pulling her tightly to him. "It makes me just about the happiest man in the 'verse." He grinned widely, the joy on his face evident even if she's been legally blind. "A girl," he said again, as if not quite able to believe the good news. "You're sure?"

River nodded. "Simon can confirm it with the sonogram, but yes, I'm sure."

Capturing her smiling lips in a deep kiss, Mal reveled in the feel of her draped so casually across his body, and thanked God that he could feel every inch of her again. He flipped her gently onto her back, and eased himself between her thighs, careful to hold his weight off the baby.

River grinned wickedly. "You sure you're up to this so soon after last night's exercise?" she asked.

"Your brother seems to think I need all the physical therapy I can get," Mal answered, his lips brushing across the line of her jaw to nibble at her ear.

River shivered under his gentle ministrations. "Well, in that case," she said, a little breathlessly, "I suppose we should obey the doctor's orders."

Feeling her warmth enfold him, Mal had to agree.

XXXXXXXXXX

Niska listened to Brutus with keen interest. "So, you're certain our Mr. Reynolds has not seen you lurking about like a thief in the night?"

"No sir," Brutus replied. "There's no evidence he' seen us yet. Their ship has not changed course at all."

"Is good. Keep it that way," Niska said. "Let him lead you to this Badger person, and then take your men and retrieve both of them by whatever means necessary. Don't harm Reynolds too badly though. I must have my pound of flesh."

Brutus nodded, his huge head practically filling the cortex screen. "I understand, Mr. Niska."

Niska smiled at the man. "Ah, you and I will have much pleasure at Mr. Reynolds' expense, Brutus. You will find him an interesting man. Very…how is it you say?...heroic." When Brutus frowned, he added, "But of course, we have no use for heroes, do we, Brutus?"

The large man smiled, revealing a row of gleaming gold teeth. "No, Mr. Niska," he answered. "We don't."

Niska nodded approvingly. "Contact me again when you have them," he instructed, cutting the transmission. Steepling his fingers under his chin, he began to think about exactly how to inflict enough pain on Reynolds to sate his sadistic appetites while keeping him alive long enough to satisfy his wounded pride.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, when we get to Persephone and finish with the delivery, think the Captain will let us stay dirtside for any length of time?" Jim asked, leaning into the doorway of the bridge, where Zoe sat piloting Serenity.

"Not sure," Zoe said, not bothering to turn around. "Though he did say somethin' about needing to pick up some new clothes for Adam, and maybe get Kaylee to see if she can track down a shuttle to replace the one we lost on St. Albans."

Jim shuddered briefly at the memory of plummeting to the ground from the atmosphere and landing with the horrible force they had. His ribs throbbed for a moment with remembered pain. Pushing those morbid thoughts aside, he walked further onto the bridge, coming to a stop beside the pilot's chair.

"If we find we have time on our hands dirtside, I thought it might be nice to have a bite to eat together. You know, something approximating real food for a change." He shoved his hands in his pockets so Zoe would not see them shaking.

"You askin' me out on a date?" Zoe asked, turning her full attention to him disconcertingly.

Not intending to be intimidated by this woman, he looked at her squarely, his head held high. "Believe I just did," he answered, proud that his voice was steady.

"You talked to your husband about this?" she asked lightly.

Jim sputtered. "My husband?" When Zoe smiled wickedly, he said with as much dignity as he could muster, "The divorce from Mal was final and binding, even on Paquin. I'm a free man, I'll have you know."

"Well now, that's a relief, sure enough," Zoe said, her eyes twinkling with a rare look of amusement. "Bein' as how that's the case, I suppose I could go with you to get a bite. You know, to console you because of your recent domestic troubles. It's the only neighborly thing to do."

Before she could protest, Jim leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers softly. Drawing away quickly, he smiled. "I imagine I'll be needing a lot of consolation, Zoe." Observing her stunned expression, he turned on his heel and walked out of the cockpit, whistling as she stared after him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kaylee sat in the engine room nursing Daniel and listening to the sound of Serenity's heart. She heard the sound of Mal's canes tapping down the corridor and hastily draped a light blanket across her breast. Having seen Mal's reaction to walking up on her breastfeeding Daniel before, she had no wish to repeat the experience. For a married man with one child here and one on the way, he could get quite bibbledy about such things, she thought fondly.

He hobbled into the room, looking around quickly until he found her in the corner. Realizing exactly what the blanket over her shoulder meant, he abruptly averted his eyes.

"'S'Alright, Cap'n," she said, smiling sunnily. "Everythin's covered."

"Yeah, well," Mal said, looking everywhere but at Kaylee, "I just came to see if we'll be needin' anything on Persephone except a shuttle, if we can find one."

Kaylee frowned. "Don't think so, but I can always look around if we've got the time. And Cap'n," she said reluctantly. "I don't reckon we're gonna find a shuttle that actually works for the coin we got."

Mal nodded ruefully. "I figured as much. But I got confidence in you, li'l Kaylee. We find one anywhere even close to workin', I got no doubt you can make it right." His eyes finally meeting hers, he smiled warmly.

Kaylee grinned, flipping Daniel up deftly on her shoulder and patting his back gently. Her efforts were rewarded by a ridiculously loud burp, and Daniel began babbling happily. "Don't know where he gets this constant need to talk from," Kaylee said.

Mal chuckled, moving to ruffle the downy hair of Daniel's head fondly. "Don't you, mei mei?" he asked, laughing.

XXXXXXXXXX

Serenity landed on the Eavesdowne docks and sat gleaming in the mid-afternoon sun. Within minutes, a small vessel landed several berths down from the Firefly, and Brutus stepped out into the light, stretching his huge frame as he disembarked. Serenity's ramp lowered, and from his vantage point, Brutus could see the tall, dark woman and two men working busily at loading cargo onto a mule. Slipping closer, he looked for some sign of Reynolds, using the capture Niska had provided as a guide.

Soon, he caught sight of Reynolds and was a little taken aback to see that the man was crippled, hobbling about on two canes. Niska had not mentioned that, not that it mattered. Would make retrieving him even easier now, Brutus thought, smiling thinly. Reynolds and the tall woman spoke briefly, their heads practically touching. She nodded smartly, and turned to carry out his orders with swift efficiency.

Brutus was dismayed to see that she and the two men climbed into the mule and headed in one direction, whereas Reynolds and a little slip of a woman with a child on her hip headed in another. Motioning to three of his men, Brutus sent them after the mule, figuring that it carried Mr. Niska's cargo and would lead them to Badger. He, on the other hand, followed Reynolds, knowing that his boss would be very displeased if he should return without his victim. And when Mr. Niska was displeased, unpleasant things had a way of happening. Brutus had no intention of letting those things happen to him.

Taking one last glance at Reynolds' ship, he saw a pretty little woman kissing a baby held in the arms of a young blonde girl before heading out toward the scrapyard next to the docks. Assuming that she was not important to Mr. Niska, he let her go without being followed. Turning back to his task, he spotted Reynolds making his way through the crowded streets slowly, hampered by his canes but aided by the slender woman walking with him. Like shooting fish in a barrel, Brutus thought, his eyes glittering with wicked intent.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	6. Chapter 6

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part VI—Retrieval**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: R, for violence

Summary: Brutus stalks his quarry, and things go badly in Badger's office.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You sure these pants'll fit 'im longer than two weeks?" Mal asked, leaning heavily on his canes with the effort of standing for so long. He sincerely hoped that this little shopping expedition would soon be over.

River smiled, stretching the fabric. "At least three weeks, ai ren," she said in a cajoling tone. "And then we can pass them down to Daniel. He'll grow into them, and the money won't have been wasted."

Mal sighed, having already spent more than he'd intended. But there was no denying that Adam was outgrowing everything he owned at an alarming rate. Adam grinned up at his father. "Big boy," he said happily.

"Yes, you are," Mal replied. "And getting bigger all the time. Think you're big enough to carry the bag for Mama?"

Adam grasped the handles firmly in his sturdy little hands, proud to be doing Daddy's normal job. Mal smiled at him encouragingly. "Always the decent thing to carry a lady's bag when she goes shopping," he said.

River smiled and curtsied to Adam. "Thank you, sir."

Adam beamed and hoisted the bag up on his shoulder so that it would not drag in the dirt. "You're welcome, Mama."

As they made their way down the street looking in the various store windows, Brutus followed, careful to stay at least one block behind them. There were too many people on the street for him to retrieve Reynolds just yet, but at least the extra people made trailing him less obvious. Thinking that Mr. Niska had not mentioned that Reynolds had a wife and child, he wondered briefly if he should snatch them as well. They might be good for some amusement, if Mr. Niska wanted to prolong Reynolds' mental suffering in addition to the things he'd planned for him physically. However, if he took them back to the Skyplex and Mr. Niska had no use for them, he did not want to get into any trouble. Best to stick with the instructions his boss had given and leave the woman and child be, he decided. But then again, maybe he could find a use for the woman, even if Mr. Niska could not. She wouldn't take up too much space on the ship, and he could keep her in his quarters once he returned to the Skyplex if the boss said it was okay. Yes, maybe he'd take the woman. He licked his lips at the thought.

XXXXXXXX

Inara stood in the gazebo, staring out at the ocean. It had seemed so calm yesterday, but today the waves were churning up seaweed from the ocean floor, pounding onto the surf with angry intensity, as if somehow the ocean were a mirror of her inner turmoil.

Lemuel had been gone for the entire morning, and now in the mid-afternoon, she was still reeling from the proposal he's made over breakfast. She genuinely cared for the man, and he'd been nothing but kind over the course of their years of acquaintance. And he offered her something very rare in the 'verse, absolute financial security coupled with pleasant companionship with a man who valued her gifts and talents in a way few men ever had. Once upon a time, it would have been an offer she'd have taken without a moment's hesitation.

Now, however, her life was not as simple as she had once thought it to be. Staring into the ocean, she admitted to herself that what she felt for Jayne was not simply attraction, nor even a sense of indebtedness for his steadfast support during the trials she'd endured in the last couple of years. She thought about the way Jayne gentled under her touch, the lazy smile he had first thing in the morning when her hair was all in disarray and her face was creased with the wrinkles from his pillow. She thought about how she worried when he went out on a job, and the relief she felt every time he came back more or less in one piece. She thought about how safe she felt in his arms, how his eyes burned with an intensity she could feel on her skin when he looked at her in a certain way. And she thought about how a little part of her melted when he was with her, a part she'd held closed for many years that he'd pried open in some indefinable way. She admitted to herself, after hiding from the truth of it for far too long, that she loved Jayne Cobb.

What to do with this knowledge was a less certain thing. Inara sighed heavily, and turned away from her sea view. Walking slowly back into the house, she pondered how she could explain to Lemuel that, while she was more than tempted to accept his generous offer, she could not do so because her heart belonged to someone else. If she admitted such a thing to him, she would be exposing herself to censure from the Guild. The rules for Companion dating were at best complicated, and Inara had not informed her Guild House that she and Jayne were lovers. She had no illusions as to how such news would be received, Jayne being very far from the Guild's strict guidelines and not likely to be willing to accept their requirements for secular lovers of Companions.

Guild Law required that she divulge any personal relationships which might create an issue with the performance of her duties as a Companion to any client with whom she should contract. And, just as there were regulations in place that required clients to provide proof that they were disease-free before an agreement could be reached, so too a Companion's lover's physical and mental health had to be fully disclosed. Inara could not imagine even asking Jayne to submit to the regular rigorous testing required. And furthermore, she was fairly certain Jayne would not be able to pass the psychological part of the testing should he submit, as he was by nature a potentially violent man and thus ill-suited to avoiding complications that could possibly endanger a client.

Inara did not think that Lemuel would pursue any sort of recourse from the Guild, but he would be well within his rights to do so. And she felt the unaccustomed burn of guilt in her belly, the realization that she had put herself, and even worse, a man she respected very much, in such a complicated situation. Not to mention how her actions would be affecting Jayne, she thought miserably.

Hearing Lemuel's foot on the stairs, she composed her face into a welcoming expression, grateful at least for the years of training that made that possible. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she squared her shoulders and opened the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim stood at Zoe's side, watching Badger with vague irritation as the little man counted the crates, opening them haphazardly to check their contents. Jayne stood back a bit, staring down the armed men that always seemed to be hanging around in Badger's den, wishing that the deal was done, and they could get back to the ship. Knowing Badger's proclivity for double-crossing dealings, he wanted to be done with it as soon as possible. Added to his general distrust was a niggling feeling that there was something off-kilter, something truly dangerous lurking just outside of his perspective. Fingering Vera anxiously, he shifted his position, looking out into the street quickly.

Seeing a group of armed men heading purposefully down the narrow alley, he ducked back inside. "Zoe," he said, "Need to wrap this up now."

Zoe looked over at him for a moment before drawing her weapon in one smooth motion. Hearing the click of multiple safeties, she looked around to see Badger's men with drawn weapons looking at her intently. "It's time to pay up, Badger," she said as calmly as if she was discussing the weather. "You've got the goods. And we've got to go."

Badger frowned at her. "You lack the basic niceties, little girl," he said. Before he could continue, there was a commotion at the entrance, and everyone's attention turned to the hallway. Shots rang out, and Badger's men moved forward to protect their territory. Zoe, Jayne, and Jim ducked for cover, assuming that whatever was happening concerned Badger and not them.

Badger, in typical fashion, retreated behind his men. However, in short order, it became apparent that Badger's men, for all their weaponry, were ill-equipped to protect their boss from the relentless drive of Niska's men. Within scant minutes, most of Badger's men lay dead or dying around the room. Niska's men advanced, completely surrounding the remaining men, and effectively trapping Serenity's crew in the crossfire. Pulling Badger roughly to his feet from his crouching position behind his desk, the leader of Niska's team of men dragged him forward into the middle of the room and tied his hands behind his back. "Hey, mate," Badger said, his voice shaking a little, "Don't know what the trouble is, but I can't say I appreciate the way you do business. I'm an upstanding kind of gent. You can't be just bargin' in on like this. You got business dealin's to discuss, this idn't the way to go about it."

"I have no business with you," the man replied dismissively, shoving Badger forward into the arms of one of the other men. "Boss says bring you in, I bring you in."

"And who is your boss?" Badger asked as calmly as he could manage.

The man did not deign to answer, snorting instead. Looking around quickly, he spotted Zoe, Jayne, and Jim behind various pieces of furniture, weapons trained on as many of his men as they could manage.

"Drop your weapons and step out," he said blandly.

"Not gonna happen," Zoe replied just as flatly. "You got a quarrel with Badger, fine. Our business here is done, and we'll be walking away soon's your men clear us a path."

The man eyed her steadily, noting that she was not giving even one inch. "Ain't gonna be as simple as all that," he said. "Boss has some outstanding business with you too." Before the sentence was completed, Niska's men were moving toward Zoe, heedless of the weapons trained on them.

"You keep movin', and we'll be riddlin' you with holes shortly," Jim said softly.

Niska's lead man smiled thinly. "We don't keep movin', and we'll be answering to someone who would do far worse than shoot us. Mr. Niska doesn't take kindly to disappointment."

Zoe and Jayne both drew in a sharp breath at the name. Glancing at each other, they nodded, realizing that the situation had just gone all manner of pear-shaped if Niska was involved. As one, their weapons fired, as they tried to fall back far enough to make their way out of Badger's back entrance.

Niska's men returned fire, and Zoe felt the searing pain of a bullet tearing into her shoulder. Grunting with the force of it, she staggered. Jim, seeing her trouble, ran to her side, snatching her back toward better cover. He glanced up to see Jayne grappling with one of Niska's men. Seeing another of the men coming to the aid of the first, he called out a warning. But it was too late, and to his horror, he saw Jayne drop like a stone when the butt of the second man's gun slammed into the side of his head with a sickening thud.

Zoe was trying to shoot with her uninjured arm, but her aim was not quite good enough. Another of Niska's men fired, and Zoe watched, as if in slow motion, as the bullet tore through Jim's turned back, propelling him forward to fall across her, knocking her from her own feet. Niska's man towered over her, his weapon aimed directly at her head.

"We'll have no more fuss," he said calmly, as one of the other men pulled the unconscious Jim off of her and secured her hands behind her back, yanking mercilessly at her injured shoulder.

As she was pulled roughly to her feet, she looked at Jim carefully, trying to discern any sign of life. Looking at Jayne lying crumpled on the floor a short distance away, she realized that even if Jim was alive now, he might not be by the time Jayne could revive enough to get him back to Serenity. And that was assuming that Niska's men would not just kill both of them immediately, she thought bitterly.

To her relief, she heard the lead man give no such instructions. Gathering up Badger, who was staring numbly at the carnage of his office, the men herded both of them outside and toward the transport ship.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal and River headed back toward Serenity with Adam walking along happily between them. Brutus moved stealthily closer, pleased beyond measure when they stepped into a less crowded alleyway to take a shortcut.

"If you want, ai ren," River said with concern, "I can go get the mule. You and Adam could sit here and rest a bit."

Mal shook his head, though the thought was tempting. "Just a little ways now," he ground out, sweat running down his back with the effort of the walk. "I'll rest when we're there."

River nodded, though she didn't like the pallor of his face. Even as muffled as her abilities currently were, she could read the pain radiating from him, and she silently cursed herself for taking so long in making her choices as they shopped. Thus distracted, she did not sense Brutus' presence until it was too late. Having made his way quickly to the other end of the alleyway, Brutus made his move. River spun immediately to protect Adam, and Brutus' stun weapon hit her squarely between the shoulder blades. She slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Brutus lunged out of the shadows and tackled Mal, dropping him instantly. Landing with a punishing thud, Mal scrambled to reach for his gun. Adam screamed and Brutus knocked the child to the ground dismissively. Mal struggled to his feet, murderous rage coursing through him. But the original blow from Brutus had damaged his already fragile back, and he found, to his horror, that he could not stand properly. His shot went wildly astray as he pitched forward, his weakened legs unable to sustain his weight. Brutus quickly kicked Mal's gun a distance down the alleyway.

"Daddy," Adam whimpered, his blue eyes huge with fear.

As Brutus towered over Mal's prone form, Mal looked intently at his son, willing the boy to obey him now, despite his fear. "Run," he said firmly. "Get back to Serenity, and bring Jayne."

Adam jumped up from the ground, and did as his father had said. Running just as fast as his little sturdy legs would take him, he headed back down the alleyway.

Brutus watched him go with a hint of amusement. Prodding Mal with his boot, he said, "Reckon how far that pretty little boy will get all alone on the streets before someone snatches him up?" Drawing back his foot, he kicked Mal in the head, rendering him unconscious, before binding his hands and feet with a strong rope.

Turning to River, he eyed her body appreciatively. Quickly binding her hands and feet as well, he thought of what pleasure awaited him should Mr. Niska give his permission.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	7. Chapter 7

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part VII—Tracking**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Jayne carries Jim back to the ship, and sets out to find the Reynolds family.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jayne walked through the narrow throughways of the Eavesdowne docks, Jim's body thrown over his shoulder. He couldn't think of many other places in the 'verse where a man could walk down the street with caked blood on his own face and a bloody body draped over his shoulder without drawing at least a little attention. For a Core planet, Persephone had a truly seedy underbelly, he thought, half-delirious with blood loss and the concussion he was fairly sure he had.

After what seemed an eternity of supporting Jim's weight, he finally arrived at Serenity's ramp. Punching in the access code to lower it, he stumbled into the cargo bay, bellowing loudly for Simon. Kaylee came running down the catwalk stairs, pushing Daniel into Anya's arms as she ran. "What happened?" she asked in a near panic. "And where's Zoe?"

Jayne shook his head, the motion causing the room to spin dizzyingly. Kaylee steadied him as he wobbled on his feet, helping him toward the infirmary. "Lemme just tell it once," Jayne said shakily. "When we get Jim to the infirmary."

Kaylee nodded, as Simon came out to ease the weight of Jim off of Jayne's shoulder. Whistling low when he saw the damage done, he quickly laid Jim facedown on the exam table and cut off his shirt to get to the bullet wound.

Jayne sat down heavily on one of the stools. "Bunch of men came into Badger's when we were there, shootin' up the place and snatchin' Badger. Said they had business with Zoe too."

Simon glanced up at him curiously. "Who would have business with Badger AND Zoe?"

Jayne swallowed thickly. "They said they worked for Niska."

Kaylee drew in a sharp, horrified breath. "Niska's got Zoe?"

"I didn't see 'em take her, but if'n she ain't here by now, I reckon they've got 'er. Hundan hit me with the butt of his gun, and I blacked out. When I come to, Jim here was lying in a pool of his own blood, and Zoe was gone." Wincing at the motion as he looked around, he added, "Where's Mal? Ain't he back yet neither?"

Kaylee shook her head. "Haven't seen him since you all left this afternoon. Maybe the shoppin's takin' longer than they thought."

Jayne stood up, swaying slightly. "'Spect I best go try to find 'em. Quicker we get to Niska's place, better shape Zoe'll be in."

"I'll go with you," Kaylee offered, seeing the big man could hardly stand without weaving.

"No," Simon said, a little more sharply than he'd intended. When Kaylee turned to him with wide eyes, he said, "I need you here. I need to operate now to remove the bullet from Jim's back, and I can't do it completely alone." Turning to Jayne, he added, "And you're obviously in no shape to be traipsing around looking for the Captain either."

Jayne opened his mouth to protest. "Ain't a question of bein' in shape. Gotta be done." Wiping the blood from the gash in his head, he said, "I ain't back when you finish with Jim, come find me."

Kaylee bit her lip, torn between the two things she needed to do. Looking worriedly at Jayne's retreating back, she turned to Simon. "What do you need me to do?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Adam stopped to catch his breath, his little chest heaving with the effort of running the long distance. He looked around him, disoriented for a moment, as he remembered the awful man standing over his daddy, and the terrifying sight of Mama slumped on the ground lying very still. Tears filled his eyes, making it difficult to see. He blinked rapidly, wiping them away angrily. Daddy said to run, he thought, to get to Serenity and get Mr. Jayne. Drawing a deep breath, he tried to remember where Serenity was. There were lots of ships where they had landed, and lots of people walking all around. And there had been little places where there was food, and stuff for sale, and strange people calling out messages and men in uniforms that made Daddy's jaw go tight and little lines appear around his eyes.

Closing his eyes, Adam concentrated on the scene in his head. Using all the techniques his mama had taught him to control his abilities, he began to hear the whisper of the people on the docks, building in volume as he focused intently on their restless sounds. Smiling, he began to run again, sure now of which direction to go.

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon worked steadily, searching grimly to be sure he'd retrieved all the bullet fragments lodged in Jim's back. It was just like Niska to provide his men with hollow-pointed bullets that would explode on impact, causing maximum damage to tender flesh, he thought bitterly, wishing to the gods that Mal had killed Niska long ago.

So far, however, the fragments Simon had retrieved had been in non-lethal places. As far as he could tell, no vital organs had been hit, though one of the fragments had come perilously close to Jim's spine and another had apparently skimmed along the pericardium of his heart. Fortunately the heart sack was intact, and Simon could see no sign of leakage that would be considered dangerous. Blood loss seemed to be the worst of the damage so far.

The work was tedious, and he glanced up at Kaylee to see her green with nausea at the sights she was seeing. "If you need to take a break, Kaylee, it's all right," he said softly. "I think I can handle it from here, though I may need an extra hand when it's time to close."

Kaylee nodded weakly, moving slowly to sit on one of the infirmary stools, embarrassed by her queasiness. "Think he's gonna make it?" she asked, her voice strangely thready.

"I believe so," Simon answered, his hands still working carefully. "He's lost a lot of blood, but it looks like he was lucky. Unless I find something else in the next few minutes, he should recover well enough, given a little time. I'd feel a little better about it if I could give him blood, but nobody on board shares his blood type."

"Maybe we could buy some here," Kaylee said dully. "There's bound to be some kind of black market for that kinda stuff, right?"

Simon looked over at her with surprise. "I suppose so, though I'd be a little skeptical about the purity of it, given the source."

Kaylee nodded. "S'pose you're right. Just a thought, was all."

Hearing the note of defeat in her voice, Simon asked gently, "Kaylee, are you okay?"

"I'm all right," she said tiredly. "It's just that…well, everything that's been happenin' is just so awful. Seems like ever since we had the baby, this ship's had nothin' but one big trouble after another. Makes a body a mite skittish about what's gonna happen next. And now, if Niska's got Zoe…."

Simon swallowed convulsively, thinking about the horror of that prospect. "We'll get her back," he said firmly. "Jayne's probably already found Mal and River and they're headed back to the ship right now. Mal won't let anything happen to Zoe."

Kaylee nodded. "I'm sure you're right, Simon," she said, sighing wearily.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jayne wandered down the street he thought most likely to have enticed River to shop, his sharp eyes looking for any sign of the Reynolds family. "Mr. Jayne!" he heard from a side street. Turning quickly enough to cause his aching head to spin again, he caught sight of Adam coming toward him, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Mr. Jayne," Adam said breathlessly, wrapping himself around Jayne's legs gratefully. "You have to come quick. A big man came out and made Mama fall down, and then he hurt Daddy, and then Daddy said for me to run and get you, and then…." He paused to gulp in a deep breath.

"Whoa, there, little fella," Jayne said calmly, though his heart was hammering wildly in his chest and his head was throbbing in time with it. "Just take a breath for a minute. I got ya'."

Adam scrambled into Jayne's arms, hugging him tightly. "We were shoppin', Mr. Jayne, and Daddy got tired, so Mama thought we should go back home. Only this mean man came outta the shadows when we went in the little path between the stores, and he did somethin' to Mama, and then he hit me 'fore Daddy could stop 'im, and then he hit Daddy real hard, and Daddy told me to run get you."

"You know where you were when the man came?" Jayne asked.

Adam nodded solemnly, his blue eyes still wide with fear.

"Show me," Jayne said.

Adam pointed to the street from which he'd just come, and Jayne set out to follow the trail. Adam reached up to touch the growing lump on Jayne's head. "Did a bad man hurt you too, Mr. Jayne?" he asked fearfully.

"Yeah," Jayne answered truthfully. "But not so bad I couldn't come to get you and your folks."

Adam nodded, his arms tightening around Jayne's neck as he pointed down another narrow street. They wound their way through the city, until they came to the alleyway where Mal and River had been attacked. The only sign of a struggle was one of Inara's canes, shattered into splinters on the hard dirt, and Mal's gun some distance away. Picking it up grimly, Jayne saw that it had been fired just once.

Adam began to cry. "They were right here, Mr. Jayne," he said. "I came to you as fast as I could."

Jayne patted the boy's back soothingly. "You done good, little fella'," he said. "Ain't no one coulda' done any better."

"But they're gone," Adam wailed.

"Yeah," Jayne said grimly. "But I think I know where they are, and we're gonna go back to Serenity, and go get 'em back. Dong ma?"

Adam nodded, sniffling against Jayne's neck. Sticking Mal's gun in his belt, Jayne wrapped his arm around the boy and headed back to the ship.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal awoke to the pounding of his head and the sharp stab of pain in his back. His hands were tied tightly behind his back, the rope biting mercilessly into the skin of his wrists. His feet were similarly bound and though he could not maneuver around to see exactly how, he seemed attached to the wall of the room in some way. The vibration of the floor beneath him told him that they were already in the Black, and he silently cursed the thought. He had no idea who had him, but he was fair certain they weren't planning a picnic when they got to their destination.

He turned as much as possible, trying to see if River was with him. Looking into the dim shadows of the room, he was startled to see Zoe similarly tied. "Zoe?" he said, his voice sounding like the rustle of dried husks in a parched field.

"Sir," she acknowledged steadily. "Glad to see you're awake. River's still asleep, looks like."

"She hurt bad?" Mal asked, the tightness in his throat making speech difficult.

"I don't see any sign she'd been hurt too bad," Zoe replied gently. "Just looks to be asleep. Least her breathin's steady-like."

"Hundan used a stun weapon of some kind, shot her in the gorram back," Mal said bitterly. "Dropped her like a stone." When Zoe didn't reply, he added, "Got any notion what we're all doin' here?"

Zoe took a slow, deep breath. "We were ambushed at Badger's. Men said they work for Niska."

She could not see Mal's face clearly, but she heard his sharp intake of breath and the low string of curses that followed. "Little ching wah tsao duh liou mahng sold us out, didn't he?"

"Much as I tend to agree with your estimate of Badger, he didn't," Zoe said. "He's over there in the corner to your left, knocked unconscious by the same men as took me. Apparently, Niska has an outstanding issue with him as well. Looks like maybe we were just caught in the middle."

"Well, that's just all manner of heartening to hear," Mal said sardonically. After a moment, he said, "Least we ain't got to the Skyplex yet. Less I've been out longer'n I think, we still got a couple of days to figure something out before we get there."

"Yes sir," Zoe said blandly.

"What happened to Jayne…and Jim?" Mal asked, the thought occurring to him that if both of them were elsewhere in this ship, that might increase the odds of escape a mite.

"Last I saw they were lying on Badger's floor, Jayne with a hard knock to the head, and Jim with a bullet in his back."

"Dead?" Mal asked carefully.

"Not when I left, but it didn't look any too good," Zoe said, an odd hollow tone in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Zoe," Mal said quietly.

"Me too," came the soft reply.

They sat in silence for a long while, both lost in their thoughts of worry for the people they loved.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	8. Chapter 8

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part VIII—Transport**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Inara gives Lemuel her answer, and River wakes up aboard the transport ship.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inara sat across the elegantly laid dining table from Lemuel. The room was quiet except for the delicate clink of silver on fine china as they ate their meal. Inara ate slowly, the fine food sticking in her mouth like sawdust, as she tried to think of some way to ease the tension in the room.

Lemuel, sensing her discomfort, spoke softly, his voice soothing in its tone. "Inara, dear, I understand your reluctance to leave the life you've made on that ship, but I would beg you to reconsider. I'm sure that, given enough time, you would come to realize how very much more suited you are to the kind of life I could offer you. I find it difficult to believe that you could have become so enamored of ….well, of the low sort of life those people lead."

Inara sipped a little water to wet her dry throat. " 'Those people', as you call them, are my friends, Lemuel. They are more than just crew on the ship. They're a family, of sorts, to each other and to me. Serenity is my home."

"And this man that you say you love, this mercenary, what are you planning to do on the day that he is killed on the job?" Lemuel asked, not unkindly. "A mercenary's life span is notoriously short, Inara. You have to think about your future, you know. You're still a young woman, with many years ahead of you. Do you really think it best to reject what I offer in favor of a few short months or years with this other man?"

"I have no wish to hurt you, Lemuel. I value you as a dear friend, but I cannot accept your kind offer. I can't weigh the love I have for Jayne against the life you so generously offer to me. The two are not at all the same. I suppose none of us really ever know how much time we have for anything. And for whatever time I have, I which to spend it with Jayne, despite our obvious differences, despite his profession, despite my training." She looked up at him, her brown eyes shining in the candlelight. "I deeply regret not telling you this earlier. We would have both been spared the pain of this conversation if I had."

Lemuel rose from his chair, and came to stand beside her. Cupping her cheek gently in his hand, he said, "I'm most delighted you did not tell me earlier, love. If you had, we would not have had the pleasant time we had together before I made my ill-timed proposal. I can't begin to tell you how much that time meant to me."

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Inara relaxed against the back of the chair, her tension dispelled by his kindness. "I'm so sorry, Lemuel," she said, her voice like warm honey.

"I'll go, if you wish. And I'll return the credits to your account as soon as I get back to my shuttle."

"No, Inara," Lemuel said, his voice achingly tender. "I don't want you to go. If you're willing, I'd like you to stay for the rest of the week, at least. Fulfill our contract, please. But regardless of what you do, you may keep the money. I don't want it back." He looked intently at her, awaiting her response.

Inara took a deep breath. "I would be honored to stay for the rest of the week, Lemuel. You are most kind."

"Good," Lemuel replied, walking back around to his place at the table. "Now let us put this whole unfortunate business behind us for the rest of our time together, shall we?"

Inara opened her mouth to answer, but a servant stepped into the room, interrupting her. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Grayson, but there is a man outside the gate who insists upon seeing Ms. Serra. I've told him to leave repeatedly, but he is most insistent."

"And who is this man?" Lemuel asked, glancing over at Inara briefly.

"He says his name is Jayne Cobb, sir," the servant replied.

Seeing Inara's shocked expression, Lemuel said, "By all means, show Mr. Cobb in. Ms. Serra will receive him in the drawing room."

The servant bowed smartly, and moved to carry out his orders. Inara stammered, "I can't imagine why Jayne would come here."

"Can't you?" Lemuel asked with a hint of amusement. "I can imagine several reasons a man in love would come to the woman with whom he's in love. It's all right, Inara. Meet your lover in the drawing room, and I'll wait for you."

Inara rose slowly, her napkin falling to the floor unheeded. "I'll be quick," she promised, her heart pounding strangely in her throat.

XXXXXXXXXX

"She's stirrin', Captain," Zoe's voice floated over to Mal in the dark.

Mal sat up as much as he was able, straining to see River. "Bao bei," he said softly, "You with me?" There was no answer, and Mal's pulse began to flutter wildly. "River," he said more loudly, "Are you all right, darlin'?"

"Can't believe you'd bring your gorram wife into this." Badger's voice was cold and irritable. "For all that, can't believe you'd find a woman des'prate enough to marry you."

"Bi zhai, Badger," Mal said sharply. "I got exactly no time to listen to your mouth. It was workin' with you got us all into this mess to begin with, best as I can tell. So, shut it, or I will do it for you, first chance I get."

It was a tone Badger had never heard from Mal before, and he somehow knew it was to be obeyed. Giving one last derisive snort, he shuffled on the end of his rope, trying to find a more comfortable position. But he was smart enough to know when to remain quiet.

"River," Mal said, turning his attention back to the darkened corner where he knew River to be, "I need you to answer me, bao bei."

River took a deep shuddering breath. "She's gone," she said in the sing-song way that made Mal know she was very close to a psychotic break.

"Who's gone, darlin'?" he asked, keeping his voice low and steady.

"Can't hear her anymore, gone into hiding, not coming out again," River said disjointedly. "Won't last through the needles, and the blades, and …oh god…." Her voice changed into a high-pitched keening as she began to rock against her bonds in distress.

Mal struggled against his own bonds, knowing she needed him to help her regain her hold on reality. As the keening continued, the door was flung open with a heavy bang and a light was switched on, blinding everyone in the room for a moment.

Brutus stomped into the room to tower over River. He shook her by her shoulders, rattling her teeth, but still she keened. Turning to Mal, he asked, "What's the matter with her? Is she touched in the head, or somethin'?"

Mal bit back an angry retort. "Maybehaps being kidnapped and tied up in a dark room unhinged her," he said dryly.

"Well, she needs to shut the hell up," Brutus answered, shaking her again. "I got no notion to travel for another day listenin' to the sound of a woman hollerin'. I got no problem killin' her right now. Mr. Niska didn't ask for her specific."

"She'll be quiet," Mal answered quickly. "Let me loose for a minute, and I'll quiet her down."

Brutus snorted. "Ain't like to happen. But I'll move her over there next to ya', if it'll shut her up."

Mal nodded, his eyes searching for any advantage he could acquire with the commotion of moving the keening River. But Brutus was brutally efficient, quickly untying the rope that tethered River to the wall, while keeping her hands and feet bound tightly. Dropping her like a sack of potatoes at Mal's side, he tethered her to the same ring that held Mal to the wall. "She ain't quiet in ten minutes, I come back and slit her throat. Dong ma?" Brutus said flatly.

Mal nodded. "She'll be quiet."

Brutus grunted and left the room, leaving them once again in darkness. Mal bent as far around River as possible, though the motion sent waves of pain radiating down his back and legs. At his touch, River began to quiet, her keening cries falling into incoherent soft mutterings. Mal murmured quiet words of comfort in her ear, praying to God that she would stay calm until Brutus was satisfied.

River leaned her head against his chest, the familiar rhythm of his heartbeat soothing her into a semi-calm state. Afraid to try to question her again just yet, Mal contented himself with her nearness. If she could just hold on to a little of her sanity until he could come up with a plan, they stood a much better chance of getting out of this thing alive.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim opened his eyes groggily, the lights of the infirmary way too bright to bear just yet. Raising his arm to shield his eyes, he felt a sharp burning sensation between his shoulder blades and remembered the bullet tearing its way into his body. Moaning lightly at the thought, he closed his eyes again, grateful at least to be alive and not rotting on Badger's office floor.

Working up enough saliva to speak, he called out, "Anybody here?"

"I'm here." Simon's reassuring voice came from somewhere to his left. "You've been shot, but you're going to be all right. I've removed all the fragments, and you just need to rest."

Jim nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm much obliged to you, Simon. How's Zoe? And Jayne?"

Simon sighed. "Jayne is all right. He should be back shortly. Zoe is…." He hesitated, hating to even say it aloud. "She's missing, at the moment."

Jim jerked himself upright, hissing in pain as the motion pulled at his wounds. "What do you mean, missing?" he ground out.

Simon tried to gently push him back down onto the bed. "I mean that she was apparently taken by the same men who took Badger. Jayne believes they're taking her to Niska."

"Who's this Niska guy?" Jim asked, confused, but recognizing the name from the men in Badger's office.

Simon frowned, realizing that Jim would have had no way to know who Niska was and what he'd done to the Captain and Wash. "He's a sort of a crime lord," he began. "A very unpleasant criminal. Sort of a psychopath, you could say."

Jim closed his eyes, the memory of Zoe's injury vivid in his mind. The thought of her in the hands of a psychopath, alone and injured, was almost more than he could bear. "Where is he?" he asked, the steel in his voice startling Simon a little.

"We think he's probably on his Skyplex. It orbits Ezra. I'm sure we'll be headed there as soon as we can."

"And why is it he would want Zoe?" Jim asked.

Simon sighed. "Well, that's sort of a long story…."

XXXXXXXXXX

Jayne followed the servant into Grayson's drawing room, Adam holding on to his neck tightly in the strange environment. Moving to stand beside the fire burning there, he waited, wondering how long it would be before Inara would arrive.

Within moments, he had his answer. Inara slipped into the room quietly, startled to see Adam with him. "Jayne," she said worriedly. "What's happened?"

Jayne turned to face her, and she gasped as she saw the blue-black bruising along his temple. Adam wriggled away from Jayne, running to bury himself in Inara's skirts. She picked him up distractedly, all her focus on Jayne.

"Mal and River got taken off the street, and Zoe got taken from Badger's office," he said grimly. "Think Niska's behind it."

Inara gasped, her blood running cold at the thought. "My god, Jayne, what are we going to do?"

Jayne stared into her eyes. "I wouldn'ta' come for you and disturbed you, but there ain't nobody left as can fly Serenity. And we need to get to Ezra quick as we can, I reckon. Ain't no tellin' what…" Aware of Adam's listening ears, his voice trailed off. "We just need to get there quick," he finished dismally.

"Of course," Inara said, her mind whirring with the news. Turning to the child in her arms, she put on an encouraging smile. "Adam, sweetie, go back to Mr. Jayne, and I'll just get my things."

Adam nodded, and headed back to Jayne. Inara continued, "Let me explain to Lemuel. Meet me in the shuttle. It's right outside. We'll get to Serenity faster if we fly."

Jayne nodded, swinging Adam up into his arms. "We'll be outside," he said.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal listened intently to the conversation on the other side of the door, his heart sinking at the words. If he was hearing correctly, he had less than half a day before the transport ship docked with Niska's skyplex, and he came face-to-face with the man who'd already managed to kill him once.

Trying to calm his thoughts in case River should be able to pick up on them, he closed his eyes and willed himself to think things through one more time.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	9. Chapter 9

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part IX—Niska**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: R, for violence

Summary: Mal meets Niska for the third time.

XXXXXXXXXX

River was quiet, her head resting in Mal's lap. "Almost there," she said dully.

"I know, darlin'," Mal replied, his voice a low murmur. "Heard 'em talking earlier." Swallowing thickly, he said, "I'm sorry I couldn't come up with a plan to get us outta this, River. We just gotta keep our heads, and act on any opportunity we see. Think you can do that?"

River looked up at him blankly. "She doesn't know," she answered.

Mal looked at her carefully, trying to discern whether she was talking in third person about herself or someone else. The blank stare he got in return did nothing to reassure him. Trying again, he said, "River, who doesn't know what?"

Sighing sorrowfully, she said, "Monsters hiding under the bed. Lunging, devouring everything in their path, no way to get away, too strong, too smart. Predator to prey. Pleasured by the hunt." She shivered with a sudden chill, and squeezed her eyes shut. "Close eyes, can't see the monsters under the bed. No grabbing ankles. No screaming."

"Shhh," Mal soothed as her voice began to rise again in panic. "We'll see to the monsters when the opportunity arises, darlin'. Try to focus for me." But even as he said the words, he wondered in some dark corner of his mind if it would be easier for her to endure what was fairly certain to come if she was in this disjointed state. Could be that before long, they'd all be crazy from whatever Niska had planned for them, he thought bitterly. Not killing the hundan when he had the chance before was something he was living to regret.

Looking over at Zoe's profile, so calm and composed in the half-shadow of the corner, he asked, "You okay over there, Zoe?"

"Fine, sir," she replied blandly, the same answer she'd given him day after relentless day during the war and in the internment camps thereafter.

Closing his eyes, he prayed for some break, some opportunity to get these two women to safety before they had to face Niska. Mal knew with sickening clarity that Niska's twisted mind would find all manner of horrific ways to use their presence against him, and his against them. He wished to the heavens that he would be facing Niska alone. Torture, he could do. Dying, he could do. Watching these two women doing either, he was fair certain he could not do. And he conjured that Niska would know that in the first few minutes, if he didn't know it already. Maybehaps with a little luck, Niska would start his fun with Badger and leave them alone for awhile, he thought hopefully. Never could tell what might happen to give him the opening he needed given enough time.

XXXXXXXXXX

"We're about five hours behind them," Inara said quietly.

"Any way to go any faster?" Simon asked, his hands clenching the back of the pilot's chair in a grip tight enough to crush bone. "River's …not herself, according to Mal. I can't imagine what this is doing to her….." His voice trailed off in anguish.

"Can't push any harder," Kaylee said quietly, rubbing Simon's back distractedly. "Serenity's goin' as fast as she can go without burnin' up her major parts. Won't do us no good to get there if we can't get away once we dock."

Inara's white-knuckled hands gripped the controls tighter. "What are we going to do when we do get there?" she asked in a small voice. "I would expect Niska to be prepared for us this time."

Jayne shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Don't know any way except to just go in there full out," he growled. "Take out as many of 'em as we can before they can return fire. Least some of us might make it to them before they take us all down."

"That's suicide," Simon said softly.

"You got a better suggestion, I'm ready to hear it," Jayne replied.

XXXXXXXXXX

The transport ship docked with the Skyplex with a sickening thump, and Mal knew his time was up. He could feel River's muscles tense at the sound, and knew that she was at least partially aware of where they were. Aching to take her in his arms, he closed his eyes and focused on sending her all the steady support he could manage mentally until he felt her relax against him again.

He opened his eyes to see Zoe looking at him, her normal stoic expression still in place. "Any opportunity," he said in a low voice. "Any chance you have at all, you take it. Dong ma?"

She nodded, her large brown eyes steady as the door slid open and Brutus entered. He cut the rope at Badger's feet and yanked the little man up roughly, pushing him through the door and sliding it shut behind him.

"Maybehaps Niska will be too busy with Badger to get to us just yet," Mal said, giving Zoe a twisted half-smile.

"Could be," Zoe said, though her voice carried little hope of that.

Minutes passed, and then an hour, and Mal began to hope that something had happened to stop the inevitable confrontation with Niska. But as the thought was forming, Brutus returned. Grabbing River up easily, he slung her over his shoulder and left the room. Mal began to pray.

Brutus returned in short order to jerk Zoe to her feet as well, and Mal was left alone in the room. Time seemed to drag again, and he tried to suppress the images that came into his head, knowing that they would weaken him for whatever was to come. Niska was a sadistic hundan, and unfortunately, he knew altogether too much about how to use a man's own imagination against him, Mal thought, shuddering with the knowledge.

The door opened again, and Mal's relief was immense. As Brutus pulled him roughly to his feet, he thought that at least if Brutus and Niska were busy with him, they could not be hurting River or Zoe at the same exact moment. Determined to keep Niska engaged for as long as possible, he squared his shoulders and put on his most infuriating attitude. Goading the psychopath was something he thought he could manage well enough.

Brutus led him through a long circular corridor, and he realized that the Skyplex was much larger now than the one his crew had so effectively destroyed. Apparently, Niska's business was doing well.

Brutus held him up as he tried to maneuver the four short steps down into Niska's personal office, as his legs were still somewhat uncooperative. Passing through the office, Mal realized that Niska had upgraded his little torture chamber. The room now was much larger, the lighting much more bright, the horrible instruments Niska favored displayed to gleaming perfection around various posts and tables.

Immediately, Mal saw River and Zoe, chained to posts that stood side-by-side, their arms and legs held fast. Badger, on the other hand, hung from the ceiling, his wrists bound and hooked to a chain there. He had been stripped to the waist, and his pale, thin chest and arms were covered with the marks of a lash. Niska stood before him, one finger tapping lightly on his lip as he considered his next torment.

Turning at the sound of Brutus' entry, he smiled benignly at Mal. "Mister Reynolds," he said, almost happily, "Is very exciting to have you here with me again. And this time, you've brought such lovely company with you." He frowned, pushing Badger and causing him to swing from the chains with a moan. "Except this one. He is maybe not so lovely anymore."

Mal smiled thinly. "Wasn't too lovely to begin with," he said calmly.

Brutus pushed him forward, and Mal teetered precariously on his feet. Niska said, "Ah yes, Mister Reynolds, Brutus tells me you are perhaps injured? Not so steady on your feet? Is a pity."

Motioning quickly to Brutus, Niska turned away from Badger completely, leaving him to still swinging slightly. Brutus made quick work of hooking Mal into a similar position to Badger's, though he also took time to secure Mal's ankles to chains in the floor. Drawing a long knife up the back of Mal's shirt, he cut it off, exposing Mal's torso to the cold air of the room.

Niska walked around him slowly. "Let me look at you, Mister Reynolds," he said, his voice brimming with sadistic pleasure. Running his fingers lightly along the scar of Mal's recent surgery, he said, "This looks like it might have been painful. Is it still tender, I wonder?" He stepped back, and Brutus placed a vicious blow to the fresh scar, causing Mal to cry out with the intensity of the pain.

Niska's eyebrows rose interestedly. "Is tender," he said with a smile. Mal gasped for breath, thinking that this was going to be a gorram long day. Niska waited for a moment, until Mal could focus on him clearly again. Walking over to River, he ran his hands down her body, lingering over the swell of her abdomen. Mal saw it through a haze of red, as fury rose strong and raw within him. "Brutus also tells me that this is Mrs. Reynolds," Niska said. "Such a pretty woman. But of course…." He took his hands off River and turned to Zoe, poking her injured shoulder and eliciting a low hiss. "You have a taste for pretty women, don't you, Mister Reynolds? Tell me, does your wife have the same concerns Mr. Washburne has?"

Zoe's voice was deadly in the sudden silence. "You'll want to stop speaking about my husband," she said, as if she was not chained helplessly to a post.

Before Niska could respond, River said quietly, "No concerns." She looked steadily at Mal, and he could see that her eyes were unclouded. 'I'm here, ai ren', he heard in his mind, as clearly as if she'd spoken the words aloud. He nodded.

Niska, unaware of their silent communication, went on. "That's very touching, Missus Reynolds," he said. "You know your husband so well, do you?"

"I do," she said, her voice calm.

"This we shall see," Niska said, turning back to Mal. "Perhaps we'll see how well Missus Reynolds can become acquainted with Brutus. He, like you, has a taste for pretty women, Mister Reynolds. But I think we leave it to you when he may indulge his….appetites. I think we give Brutus a goal toward which to work. Always makes the work more….interesting, you see. All men need a goal, don't you think so?" Tapping his lip lightly with his index finger, he said, "Your goal, Mister Reynolds, will be to last as long as possible. I wish to have a long, long time with you. You stay alert, Missus Reynolds stays here with you. You have the unfortunate circumstance of losing consciousness, you forfeit Missus Reynolds to Brutus." Pausing for a moment, he added, "And I will find uses for Mrs. Washburne until Brutus has had his fill."

"You'd best make gorram sure you kill me, old man," Mal ground out. "Because there will be no coming back from this. Dong ma?"

Niska smiled. "Oh, I will kill you eventually, Mister Reynolds. And you will die to the sound of your women screaming."

He nodded once at Brutus, and the huge man was unleashed to do his worst.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thirty minutes away," Inara said uselessly, as Serenity approached the Skyplex. Jayne nodded, and began to pass out weapons to Kaylee, Simon, and Inara. Turning to Anya, who stood in the doorway of the bridge with Daniel in her arms, he said, "You stay hid where I showed you. And you don't come out no matter what you hear, less'n it's one of us callin' for you. Dong ma?" Anya nodded and moved to obey.

Jim moved slowly past Anya into the cockpit, his own weapon ready. "You up for this?" Jayne asked gruffly.

"Are you?" Jim asked, taking another weapon and placing it in his belt. The two men looked at each other for a moment, both fairly certain they were headed into something from which they would not be coming back.

"Yeah," Jayne answered. "I am."

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal swung from the chains as Brutus continued his onslaught. Having lost his voice some time ago to the screams that had been ripped from him, he gasped with each punishing blow, every nerve ending in his body begging for the release of losing consciousness. But he fought the need, focusing on remaining alert, determined not to let himself slip.

Every moment he could maintain consciousness was a moment that might give River or Zoe a chance, he repeated to himself like a mantra, pushing back the blackness that threatened to overwhelm him.

Niska stood beside him, watching Brutus work with appreciation. Crow had been intimidating and infinitely loyal, but what Brutus could accomplish was like pure art. Niska relished every trembling muscle of Reynolds' body, every tear that fell down his wife's cheek, every drop of sweat that ran down Zoe's face.

Holding up his hand to stop Brutus momentarily, he stood closer still to Mal. "You are a persistent man, Mister Reynolds," he said, smiling as he traced the path of a particularly nasty gash across Mal's chest. "And you are doing so well. I believe we might have at least one more day left for our amusement, yes?"

Mal lifted his head slowly and spat, putting every last ounce of loathing he had for the man into the gesture. Niska stepped backward, wiping the spittle off his face with a hand shaking with rage. Grabbing a bludgeon from the table, Niska swung it at his head. Mal had just enough time to hear River's scream before the 'verse went black.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	10. Chapter 10

**Friends and Lovers**

**Part X—Monster**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: R, for violence

Summary: Conclusion. Niska makes good his threat to Mal, and more violence ensues.

XXXXXXXXXX

Niska stood for a moment, his rage leaving him to be replaced by irritation as he saw Mal hanging unconscious from the hook. Turning to Brutus, he said, "You can have the woman. I'll send for you when Reynolds wakes up, and we'll begin again."

Brutus nodded, grinning. He walked over to River, his eyes full of evil intent. Zoe tensed beside her, testing her bonds for the umpteenth time. River turned to her and smiled, and Zoe's blood ran cold at the eerie look. "River," she said.

"Monster's under the bed," River said. "Time to look." Incongruously, she winked.

Brutus freed her legs from the chains that bound her, and she stood quietly. He reached up to free her arms. As soon as they were free, he moved to drag her away, but she quickly grabbed the chain hanging above her and swung out of his grasp, landing next to the table of gleaming knives. Grasping two blades firmly in her hands, she faced him.

Brutus smiled, completely unaware of what he was really facing and thinking what a pleasure it would be to feel her struggle beneath him. He lunged forward, and River met him midair, burying her blade in his chest to the hilt. He staggered backward, a low gurgling sound coming from his lips as he hit the floor at Zoe's feet. Twirling to face Niska, River saw to her irritation that he had retreated, and was heading rapidly to the comm unit in his outer office to call for reinforcements. She quickly turned to Zoe, freeing the woman from her own chains. Zoe nodded. "I'll get Mal. Go."

River smiled, heading toward Niska's office on impossibly swift feet. Niska turned to face her, surprise evident on his face. "Didn't want to get to know Brutus," she said with icy calm. "He was not a nice man." She advanced slowly, causing Niska to back up a step. "You're not a nice man, either. Monster with red hands instead of blue. Just as evil, no matter the color. Took your pleasure from hurting my family." Her hands flexed on the blades, itching to end the man. "Can't be allowed to live after that. Must be put down, like a rabid dog. No chance for rehabilitation."

"River," Mal rasped from the doorway, where Zoe supported his weight. She turned slightly, keeping Niska in her peripheral vision as she looked at Mal.

"Step aside, bao bei," he said, his voice almost indecipherably hoarse.

She stood still between the men. "He has to die, Mal," she said flatly.

"Ain't disagreein' with you, darlin'," Mal managed to get out. He held up his arm as steadily as he could, and River saw the gun there. "Just ain't rightly sure my aim is good enough not to hit you in the process."

River stepped out of the way gracefully. "Mister Reyn….," Niska began. The word was never finished, as Mal squeezed the trigger once, catching Niska through the throat.

As Niska slumped to the floor, Mal faltered in Zoe's grasp, the last of his strength gone.

"Guess your aim was good enough," Zoe said blandly, as she and River steadied him on either side.

XXXXXXXXXX

"All right, we got about five minutes to go, 'fore we're in their line of fire," Jayne said, fingering Vera. "Take us in, Inara."

Inara nodded, her hands trembling slightly as she maneuvered the Firefly into position for docking with the Skyplex. "Jayne," she said suddenly, looking out the window with surprise. "Look at this."

As they watched, a small shuttle detached from the Skyplex as weapons from the docking area fired at it. The shuttle drifted erratically for a moment before righting itself and turning toward Serenity at its top speed. "You don't suppose….?" Inara began.

A burst of static filled the bridge, and then they heard River's voice. "Serenity, we need to dock with you. Now. The shuttle's been hit and is leaking fuel. Please confirm."

"Can they dock with us, with that kind of shuttle?" Simon asked Kaylee urgently.

"It ain't a perfect fit, but I think River can do it," Kaylee confirmed. "If we can hold Serenity steady."

Inara nodded, and Simon flipped the switch. "Confirmed, mei mei. We're ready."

Within moments, the crew heard the satisfying thump of the shuttle locking onto Serenity. Zoe's voice came over the comm.. "Take us out, fast. Don't know who might decide to follow us."

Inara's hands flew over the console, and Serenity's engine hummed with greater intensity as they began to put distance between them and the Skyplex.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Watch it there, mate," Badger whined as Simon sewed up the last of his lacerations. "Don't wanna be scarrin' this lovely chest o' mine. Must think of the ladies, you know."

Simon rolled his eyes and Mal snorted, though he could not respond with the thought that crossed his mind, as his voice was still very hoarse.

"Wha'?" Badger asked, scowling at Mal. "Think I don't have ladies at my beck and call?"

"Not free ones, anyways," Jayne said, leaning against the door. "And by now, maybe not even the ones you were plannin' on sellin'. When I left your little office, weren't many of your men standin', and them that were seemed a mite eager to be elsewhere."

Badger nodded. "It's a shame and disgrace what happens to a businessman such as myself in these hard times." Then he grinned. "But, now as Niska's organization is in a bit of a spin, could be there's an openin' for a gent such as myself to help 'em re-organize."

"You are a vulture. You know that, right?" Mal rasped from the bed beside him.

Badger bristled importantly. "Just a man what knows an opportunity when 'e sees it," he said defensively. "Might even be willin' to cut you in for say…20 percent. Since you were kind enough to give me a ride back to Persephone."

"Twenty percent?" Jayne said incredulously. "After they cut you down from Niska's hook and saved your sorry hide?"

Badger pondered for a moment. "Could go up as high as twenty-five, I suppose."

"Think I'll leave the re-organizing to you," Mal whispered hoarsely. "Ain't aimin' to be back on Ezra any time soon."

Badger shrugged. "Suit yourself. But that's the difference between you and me, Captain Reynolds. I'm a man of vision."

"Little bit cross-eyed, if you ask me," Jim said. Badger's answer was drowned out by the laughter of Serenity's men.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim slipped down into his bunk, his back throbbing with the motion of climbing the ladder. Unbuttoning his shirt, he pulled it off carefully, wincing as the new skin across his wound pulled.

"That as painful as it looks?" Zoe asked softly, moving from the shadows into the light.

Jim flinched in surprise, causing him to hiss. "Shouldn't oughta' sneak up on a man like that," he said pleasantly. When Zoe didn't respond, he added, "And yes, it hurts like a sonovabitch."

Zoe looked at him, her eyes bright in the soft light. "May be you need someone to tend to it," she said calmly.

Jim's lips curved into a smile. "Could be," he agreed. "Hear tell you have some experience with being a field medic."

"A little," Zoe replied, closing the distance between them. "I expect I could try my hand at it." She placed a small, chaste kiss on his surprised lips. "Course, might be I'll have to fit it into my busy schedule." She pulled away, her wicked smile warming Jim in all manner of pleasant ways.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd pencil me in," he said, reaching out to pull her closer to him again.

Zoe wrapped her arms around him, careful of his injury. Jim touched her shoulder lightly. "This still hurt?" he asked.

"A little," she replied.

"Then perhaps we can nurse each other back to health," he said, brushing her hair to the side to ghost his lips along her slender neck.

"Think I'd like that," she sighed, giving herself to the feel of his solid warmth against her and feeling suddenly more alive than she had in a very long time.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I think you should be the one lying down, ai ren," River protested as Mal helped her up onto the infirmary bed.

"I'm fine," Mal said, leaning his weight against the bed on one side and the unshattered cane Jayne had retrieved on the other. "Besides, Simon can hardly do the thing with you sittin' or standin'."

River grimaced, but lay back against the bed, resting her hand on Mal's. Simon draped a sheet across River's legs and examined her thoroughly while Mal tried very hard to think about something else. After a few minutes, Simon nodded his head in satisfaction. "Everything looks good, mei mei. Are you feeling all right?"

"I feel fine, except for the mental fuzzies," she said. "And of course, I'm a little tired."

"I can't imagine why," Simon said dryly. Looking at Mal, he said, "Would you like to see your daughter today?"

Mal's smile lit up the infirmary. "Can't think of anything I'd rather do," he said, his enthusiasm contagious as he squeezed River's hand.

Simon set up the equipment and prepared River. After a few seconds of searching, he said, "There." He pointed to the small screen, and Mal leaned forward eagerly.

"There she is," Mal breathed out, fascinated by the outline of his child. "She's an active one, ain't she?" he observed as the baby waved her arms and legs restlessly.

"Yes, she is," River confirmed, rubbing the side of her abdomen for emphasis. They watched for a long moment, all three of them mesmerized by the miraculous sight. Finally, Simon cleared his throat. "Well, I'll just give you two a moment alone," he said, putting the equipment to the side and stepping out into the corridor.

"What are you thinking, ai ren?" River asked, touching Mal's face tenderly.

Mal grasped her hand in his own, turning her palm up and brushing his lips along it lightly. "I'm thinkin' that for all the horrible go se in this 'verse, it's still full of beauty and wonder too. And I'm thinkin' that I'm a lucky man to be able to see it."

River sat up in the bed and wrapped her legs around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Love you, ai ren," she said softly.

"Love you, too, darlin'," he replied, feeling their child's kick against his abdomen as he held River close to him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: Thus ends another tale of the 'verse. As always, thank you for sticking with the story to its conclusion. I know that this one was a little nerve-racking for some readers, and I really appreciate your patience with it. And thanks for leaving such shiny feedback along the way! There are, of course, more tales to tell, and hopefully, there will be time to tell them another day. Until then, happy reading and writing to you all!


End file.
